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HAROLD B. LEE LIBRARY

BKlQHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

PROVO, UTAH

t? *5 / i A>0~

THE

WITNESS OF THE STARS

ETHELBERT W. BULLINGER, D.D

HE telleth the number of the stars;
He giveth them all their names."

(Ps. cxlvii. 4. R.v

FOURTH EDITION.

% 0 n D 0 n :
EYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE (Bible Warehouse), Ltd.,

33 Paternoster Row.

1921.

LONDON :

EYRH & SPOTTISWOODE, LTD.

His Majesty's Printers,

DOWNS PARK KOAD, HACKNEY, Eg.

PREFACE.

Some years ago it was my privilege to enjoy the ac-
quaintance of Miss Frances Rolleston, of Keswick, and
to carry on a correspondence with her with respect to
her work, Mazzaroth : or, the Constellations, She was
the first to create an interest in this important subject.
Since then Dr. Seiss, of Philadelphia, has endeavoured
to popularize her work on the other side of the At-
lantic ; and brief references have been made to the
subject in such books as Moses and Geology, by Dr.
Kinns, and in Primeval Man; but it was felt, for many
reasons, that it was desirable to make another effort
to set forth, in a more complete form, the witness of the
stars to prophetic truth, so necessary in these last days.

To the late Miss Rolleston, however, belongs the

honour of collecting a mass of information bearing on

this subject ; but, published as it was, chiefly in the

form of notes, unarranged and unindexed, it was suited

only for, but was most valuable to, the student. She

it was who performed the drudgery of collecting the

facts presented by Albumazer, the Arab astronomer

to the Caliphs of Grenada, 850 a.d. ; and the Tables

drawn up by Ulugh Beigh, the Tartar prince and

a 2

IV PREFACE.

astronomer, about 1450 a.d., who gives the Arabian
Astronomy as it had come down from the earliest
times.

Modern astronomers have preserved, and still have
in common use, the ancient names of over a hundred
of the principal stars which have been handed down ;
but now these names are used merely as a convenience,
and without any reference to their significance.

This work is an attempt to popularize this ancient
information, and to use it in the interests of truth.

For the ancient astronomical facts and the names,
with their signification, I am, from the very nature of
the case, indebted, of course, to all who have preserved,
collected, and handed them down ; but for their inter-
pretation I am alone responsible.

It is for the readers to judge how far my conclu-
sions are borne out by the evidence ; and how far
the foundation of our hopes of coming glory are
strengthened by the prophecies which have been
written in the stars of heaven, as well as in the
Scriptures of truth.

For the illustrations I am greatly indebted to
Jamieson's Celestial Atlas, 1820; Flammarion'sLVE/oz/tfs;
Sir John W. Lubbock's Stars in Six Maps, 1883; and
to the late Mr. Edward J. Cooper's Egyptian Scenery,
1820. For the general presentation and arrangement
of the Constellations I am responsible, while for the

PREFACE. V

drawings my thanks are due to my friend Miss Amy
Manson.

It is the possession of " that blessed hope " of
Christ's speedy return from Heaven which will give
true interest in the great subject of this book.

No one can dispute the antiquity of the Signs of
the Zodiac, or of the Constellations. No one can
question the accuracy of the ancient star-names which
have come down to us, for they are still preserved
in every good celestial atlas. And we hope that no
one will be able to resist the cumulative evidence that,
apart from God's grace in Christ there is no hope for
sinners now : and apart from God's glory, as it will be
manifested in the return of Christ from Heaven, there
is no hope for the Church, no hope for Israel, no
hope for the world, no hope for a groaning creation.
In spite of all the vaunted promises of a religious
World, and of a worldly Church, to remove the effects
of the curse by a Social Gospel of Sanitation, we
are more and more shut up to the prophecy of Gen. iii.
15, which we wait and long to see fulfilled in Christ
as our only hope. This is beautifully expressed by
the late Dr. William Leask :—

And is there none before ? No perfect peace
Unbroken by the storms and cares of life,

Until the time of waiting for Him cease:
By His appearing to destroy the strife r

No, none before.

VI PREFACE.

Do we not hear that through the flag- of gpnce
By faithful messengers of God unfurled,

All men will be converted, and the place
Of man's rebellion be a holy world ?

Yes, so we hear.

Is it not true that to the Church is given

The holy honour of dispelling night,
And bringing back the human race to heaven,

By kindling everywhere the Gospel light ?

It is not true.

Is this the hope —that Christ the Lord will come,

In all the glory of His royal right,
Redeemer and Avenger, taking home

His saints, and crushing the usurper's might ?

This is the hope.

May the God of all grace accept and bless this
effort to show forth His glory, and use it to strengthen
His people in waiting for I lis Son from Heaven, even
Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.

ETHELBERT W. BULLINGER.

August list, 1893.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

%.* Al! are drawn to the same relative scale, except Plates VI.,
VIII., XIV, and XXV., which are enlarged ; while Plates
III., XL, XVIII., XIX., XX., XXL, XXVL, XXX., and XL.,
are slightly reduced.

PLATE

II.

TIL

IV.

VI.

VII.

Villi

IX.

XL
XII.

XIII.

XIV.
XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.
XX.

XXI

(reduced)

FACING PAGE

VIRGO, The Virgin - - ~ - 29

Coma, The Desired - - « - 35

Centaurus, The Centaur (reduced) « 40

Bootes, The Coming One - - ■« 42

LIBRA, The Scales - - - - 45

Crux, The Cross (enlarged) - * 48

Lupus or Victim a, The Wolf or Victim • 51

Corona, The Crown (enlarged) - - * 53

SCORPIO, The Scorpion - - ■ - 54

Serpens, THe Serpent
Ophiuchus, The Serpent Holder
Hercules, The Mighty One (reduced)
SAGITTARIUS, The Archer -
Lyra, The Harp -

Ara, The Altar, or burning pyre (enlarged)
Draco, The Dragon cast down
CAPRICORNUS, The Goat
Sagitta, The Arrow -

Aquila, The Eagle ~

Delphinus, Ihe Dolphm -
f AQUARIUS, TheWater-bearer -|
t Pisces Australis, The Southern Fish] (reduced) -
Pegasus, The Winged Horse (reduced)
Cygnus, The Swan (reduced) -

59
63
67
68

76
Si

I PISCES, TheF<shes\

\ The Band - -J V CUUW5U'

Vlll

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

XXXII.

XXXIII.

XXXIV.

XXXV.
XXXVI.

XXXVII.

XXXVIII.

XXXIX.

XL.

XLI.

FACING

Andromeda, The Chained Woman -
Cepheus, The Crowned King
ARIES, The Ram -

Cassiopeia, The Enthroned Woman (enlarged)
Cetus, Thj Sea Monster (reduced)
Perseus, The Breaker

TAURUS, The Bull ...-',
Orion, The Glorious One -
Eridanus, The River (reduced) -
Auriga, The Shepherd -
GEMINI, The Twins - -

Lepus, The Hare or The Enemy -
Canis major, The Dog (Sirius) « •• i

Canis minor, The Second Dog (Procyon) - J

' CANCER, The Crab .-„...-
Ursa minor, The Little Bear
Ursa major, The Great Bear -

Argo, 7%* Ship -
LEO, 7%* Zaw *
Hydra, 7%<? Serpent}

PAGE
IOI
103
I05
108

»»3
116
121

126
130

134
138
141

148
152

155
160
164

Crater, The Cup - / (reduced)

Corvus, The Raven - J

A Planisphere of the Heavens

- 167

• 204

ENGRAVINGS,

PAGE

Part of the Zodiac in the Temple of Esneh - * • 21

The circular Altar in the sign now called Libra - - 199
The Scorpion and the Lamp; from an Euphratean Boundary

Stone - - 200

Ditto, from an Euphratean Seal - * - * 201

The Ptolemaic Constellation of the Claws • 202

i i.

THE

WITNESS OF THE STARS.

T^OR more than two thousand five hundred years the
world was without a written revelation from God.
The question is, Did God leave Himself without a wit-
ness ? The question is answered very positively by the
written Word that He did not. In Rom. i. 19 it is
declared that, " that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead ;
so that they are without excuse." But how was God
known? How were His invisible things," i.e., His
plans, His purposes, and His counsels, known since the
creation of the world ? We are told by the Holy Spirit
in Rom. x. 18. Having stated in v. 17 that " Faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word (ftp*, the
thing spoken, sayings) of God," He asks, " But I say,
Have they not heard ? Yes, verily." And we may ask,
How have they heard ? The answer follows — " Their
sound went into all the earth (yj) and their words
(tfnara, their teaching, message, instruction) unto the
ends of the world (otW/^)." What words ? What
instruction ? Whose message ? Whose teaching ?
There is only one answer, and that is, THE

2 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

HEAVENS! This is settled by the fact that the
passage is quoted from Ps. xix., the first part of which
is occupied with the Revelation of God written in the
Heavens, and the latter part with the Revelation of God
written in the Word.

This is the simple explanation of this beautiful Psalm.
This fc why its two subjects are brought together. It
has often perplexed many why there should be that
abrupt departure in verse 7 — " The law of the Lord is
perfect, converting the soul." The fact is, there is
nothing abrupt in it, and it is no departure. It is
simply the transition to the second of the two great
Revelations which are thus placed in juxtaposition.
The first is the Revelation of the Creator, El, /X, in
His works, while the second is the Revelation of the
Covenant Jehovah, T\V\\, in His Word. And it is note-
worthy that while in the first half of the Psalm, El is
named only once, in the latter half Jehovah is named
seven times, the last being threefold (Jehovah, Rock,
and Redeemer), concluding the Psalm.

Let us then turn to Ps. xix., and note first —

The Structure * of the Psalm as a whole.

A I 1-4-. The Heavens.

B I -4-6. " In them " (DHS) the Sun.
A I 7-10. The Scriptures.

B J 11-14. " In them " (BJJ?) Thy Servant.

* For what is meant by "Structure," see A Key to the Psalms, by the late Rev.
Thos. Boys, edited by the present author. Published by Eyre & Spottiswoode 'Bible
Warehouse), Ltd., 33, Paternoster Row, London, E.C. Price Five Shillings

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 3

In the Key to the Psalms , p. 17, it is pointed out that
the terms employed in A and B are astronomical,*
while in A and B they are literary. Thus the two
parts are significantly connected and united.

Ewald and others imagine that this Psalm is made
up of two fragments of separate Psalms composed at
different periods and brought together by a later
editor !

But this is disproved not only by what has been said
concerning the structure of the Psalm as a whole, and
the interlacing of the astronomical and the literary
terms in the two parts, but it is also shown by more
minute details.

Each half consists of two portions which correspond
the one to the other, A answering to A, and B to
B. Moreover, each half, as well as each corresponding
member, consists of the same number of lines ; those in

* Viz., in A (verses 7, 8), —

" Converting," from 3-1£% to return, as the sun in the heavens.

"Testimony," from l-li;, to repeat, hence, a witness, spoken of the sun in
Ps. lxxxix. 37.

•'Sure," ||pK> faithful, as the sun. (Ps. lxxxix. 37.)

"Enlightening," from lix, to give light, as the sun. (Gen. i. 15, 17, 18 ;
Isa. lx. 19 ; Ezek. xxxii. 7.)

In B (verses 11, 12, 13), —

" Warned," from -inT> to make light, hence, to teach, admonish.

11 Keeping," from 1QK% to keep, observe, as the heavens. (Ps. cxxx. 6 ,

Isa. xxi. 11.) Or as the heavenly bodies observe God's ordinances.
"Errors," from |-|J6J>> to winder, as the planets.
M Keep back," "n'^n* to hold back, restrain.
"Have dominion over," from 7^0, to rule. Spoken of the sun and moon

• T

in Gen. i. 18. " The sun to rule the day," &c. (Ps. cxxxvi. 8, 9.)

A 2

4 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

the first half being, by the ccesura, short, while those in
the last half are long (or double).

A I 1-4-. Eight lines 1 ,.

■n 1 * c- v f*4 lines-

B I -4-6. Six lines J

A I 7-10. Eight lines 1 ..
', °c. r ^14 lines.

B I 11-14. Six lines J

If we confine ourselves to the first half of the Psalm*
(A and B, verses 1-6), with which we are now alone
concerned, we see a still more minute proof of Divine
order and perfection.

The Structure of A and B.

A& B

* I I- The heavens.

D I 2. Their testimony : incessant. (Pos.)
E I 3. Their words inaudible. (Neg.)
D I 4-. Their testimony : universal. (Pos.)
I C I -4-6. The heavens.

Here we have an introversion, in which the extremes
(C and C) are occupied with the heavens ; while the
means (D, E and D) are occupied with their testimony.

The following is the full expansion of the above,
with original emendations which preserve the order of
the Hebrew words and thus indicate the nature of
the structure : —

* The other half of the Psalm is just as perfectly arranged. For example, there
an* six words used (verses 7-9) to describe the fulness of the Word of God, and they
are thus placed, alternately : —

F I Two feminine singulars. (Law and Testimony.)

G| One masculine plural. (Statutes.)
F\ 7\uo feminine singulars. (Commandment and Fear.)
G \ One masculine plural. (Judgments. )

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

what is audible

C a | The heavens

b | are telling °

c | the glory f of God :
c | and the work of his hands
b | is setting forth {
a | the firmament.

Day after day §
e | uttereth || speech,
And night after night
e | sheweth knowledge.

f | There is no speech (what is articulate)
g | and there are no words ; i
g | and without being audible, J
f | is their voice (what is articulate).

h | Into all the earth (as created)

i | is their line ^J gone forth ;
h | And into the ends of the world (as inhabited)

i | Their sayings.

j | For the sun He hath set a tent (an abode) in them ;
1 | and he as a bridegroom (comparison)

m is going forth from his canopy, (motion : its
rising)
/ | he rejoiceth as a mighty one (comparison)

m | to run his course. (Motion : its rapid course.)
n | From the end of the heavens |

o | is his going forth, J eSress

o | and his revolution 1

n | unto their ends : / reSress

j | and there is nothing hid from his heat {i.e., from him ••).

* From ")QD> t° ct*t into, or grave, hence, to write. It has the two senses of
our English verb tell, which means to count, and also to narrate. The first occur-
rence is Gen. xv. 5, " Tell ("ibp) the stars, if thou be able to number ("\'qq^)
them." Gen. xxiv. 66, "The servant told Isaac all things that he had done."
Ps. Ixxi. 15, "My mouth shall show forth (IgpS t*K of, R.V.) thy righteousness
and thy salvation all the day; for I know not' the numbers (pnbp» '•'•» the
accounts) of them," i.e., all the particulars.

O THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Surely there is something more referred to here than
a mere wonder excited by the works of the Creator !
When we read the whole passage and mark its struc-
ture, and note the words employed, we are emphatically
told that the heavens contain a revelation from God ;
they prophesy, they show knowledge, they tell of God's
glory, and set forth His purposes and counsels.

It is a remarkable fact that it is in the Book of Job,
which is generally allowed to be the oldest book in the

f From 1^5, to be heavy, weight, the context determining whether the weight
spoken of is advantageous or not. The first occurrence is Gen. xii. 10, " The famine
was grievous (T33) in the land." The next, xiii. 2, " Abram was very rich
(133)." It is often applied to persons who are of weight and importance, hence,
glorious and honourable. It is used of the glory of the Lord, and of God Himself,
as we use Majesty of a person. See Isa. iii. 8 ; iv. 2 ; xi. 10 ; xliii. 20 ; Hag. ii. 8 j
Ex. xvi. 7 ; xxiv. 17; I Sam. iv. 21 ; Pss. xxvi. 8 (honour); lxiii. 3.

X From 133, to set be/ore, to set forth, to shew. First occurrence, Gen. iii. II,
•'Who told thee that thou wast naked." Ps. xcvii. 6, "The heavens declare His
righteousness " ; cxi. 6, " He hath shewed his people the power of his works."

§ This is the English idiom for the Hebrew "Day to day." The ^ is used in
its sense of adding or superadding to, as in Isa. xxviii. 10, iv~> 1V» "precept *o
precept ;" i.e., precept after precept, line after line. Gen. xlvi. 26, "All the souls
that came with Jacob " (3pl7^?, to Jacob ; *.*., in addition to Jacob. So here, " Day
to day \n *./., Day in addition to day, or, as we say, Day after day).

|| From ];33, to tell forth, akin to N23> to prophesy, from root to pour forth.
Lit., here, poureth forth discourse. Ps. cxlv. 9, "abundantly utter."

U Their line, 1p, i.e., their measuring line. By the figure of metonymy the
line which measures is put for the portion or heritage which is measured, as in many
other places. See Ps. xvi. 6, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places ; yea,
I have a goodly heritage." (See also Ps. lxxviii. 55, &c.) Here, it means that
"Their measuring line has gone forth unto all the earth (Vl$) " ; /•'., All the
earth inherits this their testimony (i.e., has this testimony for its heritage), and to the
ends of the world (Sun. the inhabited world) their instruction has gone forth.
With this agrees, in sense, the LXX. here, and Rom. x. 18, which each has ^B4yyo$,
a sound, or voice ; i.e., a sound in relation to the hearer, rather than to that which
causes it. The meaning of the passage is, " All the earth has their sound or testi-
mony as its heritage, and the ends of the world hear their words. " Symmachus has
1JX0$> a sound, or report. Compare Deut. iv. 19, "divided."

** Hon means that which is hot* and is a poetical name of the sun itself.

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 7

Bible,* if not in the world, that we have references to
this Stellar Revelation. This would be at least 2,000
years before Christ. In that book the signs of the
Zodiac and the names of several stars and constella-
tions are mentioned, as being ancient and well-known.
In Isa. xi. 26 (r.v.) we read : —

" Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who hath created these,
X That bringeth out their host by number:

He calleth them all by name;
By the greatness of His might,
And for that He is strong in power,
Not one is lacking."

We have the same evidence in Psalm cxlvii. 4. (r.v.)

"He telleth the number of the stars;
He giveth them all their names."

Here is a distinct and Divine declaration that the
great Creator both numbered as well as named the stars
of Heaven.

The question is, Has he revealed any of these names ?
Have any of them been handed down to us ?

The answer is Yes ; and that in the Bible itself we
have the names (so ancient that their meaning is a little

obscure) of Ash (Bty> a name still connected with the

Great Bear), Cesil (Vp3), and Cimah (H^3).

They occur in Job ix. 9 : " Which maketh Arcturus
(r.v. the Bear), Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers LvQ
of the south." (Marg., Heb., Ash, Cesil, and Cimah.)

Job xxxviii. 31, 32: " Canst thou bind the sweet
influences (r.v. cluster) of the Pleiades (marg., the

* Job is thought by some to be the Jobab mentioned in Gen. x. 29, the third in
descent from Eber.

8 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

seven stars, Heb. Cimah), or loose the bands of Orion
(marg. Heb. Cesil) ? Canst thou bring forth Maz-
zaroth (marg., the twelve signs. r.v., u the twelve
signs ": and marg., the signs of the Zodiac) in his season?
or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons (r.v., the
Bear with her train ; and marg., Heb., sons)." *

Isa. xiii. 10 : . . . " The stars of heaven and the con-
stellations thereof." . . .

Amos v. 8 : " Seek him that maketh the seven stars
(r.v., the Pleiades) and Orion."

Then we have the term " Mazzaroth," Job xxxviii.
32, and " Mazzaloth," 2 Kings xxiii. 5. The former in
both versions is referred to the Twelve Signs of the
Zodiac, while the latter is rendered " planets," and in
margin, the twelve signs or constellations.

Others are referred to by name. The sign of
" Gemini," or the Twins, is given as the name of a
ship : Acts xxviii. 11, AioVkov/w (i.e. Castor & Pollux).

Most commentators agree that the constellation of
" Draco," or the Dragon (between the Great and Little
Bear), is referred to in Job xxvi. 13 : " By His Spirit He
hath garnished the heavens ; His hand hath formed the
crooked serpent (r.v. swift. Marg. fleeing or gliding.
See Is. xxvii. 1 ; xliii. 14)." This word " garnished " is
peculiar. The R.v. puts in the margin, beauty. In
Ps. xvi. 6, it is rendered goodly, " I have a goodly
heritage." In Dan. iv. 2, it is rendered, " I thought

* Note the structure of this verse : —

A I The seven stars,

B ( Orion,
A J The twelve signs,
B J Arcturus.

Nfr

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 9

it good to show," referring to " the signs and wonders "
with which God had visited Nebuchadnezzar. It ap-
pears from this that God " thought it good to show " by
these signs written in the heavens the wonders of His
purposes and counsels, and it was by His Spirit that
He made it known ; it was His hand that coiled (/^H)
the crooked serpent among the stars of heaven.

Thus we see that the Scriptures arejiot silent as to
the great antiquity of the signs and constellations.

If we turn to history and tradition, we are at once
met with the fact that the Twelve Signs are the same,
both as to the meaning of their names and as to their
order in all the ancient nations of the world. The
Chinese, Chaldean, and Egyptian records go back
to more than 2,000 years b.c. Indeed, the Zodiacs
in the Temples of Denderah and Esneh, in Egypt,
are doubtless copies of Zodiacs still more ancient,
which, from internal evidence, must be placed nearly
4,000 B.C., when the summer solstice was in Leo.

Josephus hands down to us what he gives as the
traditions of his own nation, corroborated by his re-
ference to eight ancient Gentile authorities, whose
works are lost. He says that they all assert that
41 God gave the antediluvians such long life that they
might perfect those things which they had invented in
astronomy." Cassini commences his History of Astro-
nomy by saying "It is impossible to doubt that astro-
nomy was invented from the beginning of the world ;
history, profane as well as sacred, testifies to this
truth." Nouet, a French astronomer, infers that the
Egyptian Astronomy must have arisen 5,400 b.c. !

7^07 - cuL^^

<p*

IO THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Ancient Persian and Arabian traditions ascribe its
invention to Adam, Seth, and Enoch. Josephus asserts
that it originated in the family of Seth ; and he says
that the children of Seth, and especially Adam, Sethr
and Enoch, that their revelation might not be lost as
to the two coming judgments of Water and Fire, made
two pillars (one of brick, the other of stone), describing
the whole of the predictions of the stars upon them, and
in case the brick pillar should be destroyed by the flood,,
the stone would preserve the revelation (Book i. chs. 1-3)*

This is what is doubtless meant by Gen. xi. 4," And
they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower
whose top may reach unto heaven." The words u may
reacA" are in italics. There is nothing in the verse
which relates to the height of this tower. It merely
says &t3&2 SWiil), and his top with the heavens, i.e. with
the pictures and the stars, just as we find them in
the ancient temples of Denderah and Esneh in Egypt.
This tower, with its planisphere and pictures of the
signs and constellations, was to be erected like those
temples were afterwards, in order to preserve the reve-
lation, " lest we be scattered abroad upon the face
of the whole earth."

This is corroborated by Lieut. -Gen. Chesney, well

known for his learned researches and excavations among

the ruins of Babylon, who, after describing his various

discoveries, says,* " About five miles S.W. of Hillah,

-V the most remarkable of all the ruins, the Birs Nimroud of

* General Chesney allowed the late Dean Goode to copy the passage, among
other matters, from his private MS. The Dean quotes it in his Warburtoniatk
Lectures (2nd Ed, Note I. to Sermon IV., p. 170-1).

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. II

the Arabs, rises to a height of I53jeet above the plain
from a base covering a square of 400 feet, or almost
four acres. It was constructed of kiln-dried bricks in
seven stages to correspond with the planets to which
they were dedicated : the lowermost black, the colour
of Saturn ; the next orange, for Jupiter ; the third red,
for Mars ; and so on.* These stages were surmounted
by a lofty tower, on the summit of which, we are told,
were the signs of the Zodiac and other astronomical
figures ; thus having (as it should have been translated)
a representation of the heavens, instead of * a top which
reached unto heaven.' "

This Biblical evidence carries us at once right back
to the Flood, or about 2,500 years B.C.

This tower or temple, or both, was also called
14 The Seven Spheres" according to some ; and " The
Seven Lights," according to others. It is thus clear
that the popular idea of its height and purpose must be
.abandoned, and its astronomical reference to revelation
must be admitted. The tower was an attempt to
preserve and hand down the antediluvian traditions ;
their sin was in keeping together instead of scattering
themselves over the earth.

Another important statement is made by Dr. Budge,
of the British Museum. f He says, " It must never be
forgotten that the Babylonians were a nation of star-
gazers, and that they kept a body of men to do nothing
else but report eclipses, appearances of the moon, sun-
spots, etc., etc."

* Fragments of these coloured glazed bricks are to be seen in the British Museum,
f Babylonian Life and History, p. 36.

12 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

" Astronomy, mixed with astrology, occupied a large
number of tablets in the Babylonian libraries, and
Isaiah, xlvii. 13, refers to this when he says to Babylon,
' Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.
Let now thy astrologers (marg. viewers of the heavens),
the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators stand up.'
The largest astrological work of the Babylonians con-
^v tained seventy tablets, and was compiled by the com-
mand of Sargon of Agade thirty-eight hundred years
before Christ ! It was called the * Illumination of Bel.' "

" Their observations were made in towers called
** ziggurats " (p. 106).

11 They built observatories in all the great cities, and
reports like the above [which Dr. Budge gives in full]
were regularly sent to the King " (p. no).

11 They were able to calculate eclipses, and had long
lists of them." " They found out that the sun was
spotted, and they knew of comets." " They were the
inventors of the Zodiac" (?). There are fragments of
two (ancient Babylonian) planispheres in the British
Museum with figures and calculations inscribed upon
them. " The months were called after the signs of the
Zodiac " (p. 109).

We may form some idea of what this " represen-
tation of the heavens " was from the fifth " Creation
Tablet," now in the British Museum. It reads as
follows : —

" Anu [the Creator] made excellent the mansions [i.e the
celestial houses'] of the great gods [twelve] in number
[i.e. the twelve signs or mansions of the sun].
The stars he placed in them. The lumasi [i.e. groups of
stars or figures] he fixed.

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 13

He arranged the year according- to the bounds [i.e. the

twelve signs'] which he defined.
For each of the twelve months three rows of stars [i.e.

constellations'] he fixed.
From the day when the year issues forth unto the close,

he marked the mansions [i.e. the Zodiacal Signs'] of

the wandering- stars [i.e. planets] to know their courses

that they might not err or deflect at all."

Coming down to less ancient records : Eudoxos, an
astronomer of Cnidus (403 to 350 B.C.), wrote a work
on Astronomy which he called Phainomena. Antigonus
Gonatas, King of Macedonia (273-239 B.C.), requested
the Poet Aratus to put the work of Eudoxus into the
form of a poem, which he did about the year 270 B.C.
Aratus called his work Diosemeia (the Divine Signs).
He was a native of Tarsus, and it is interesting for
us to note that his poem was known to, and, indeedj
must have been read by, the Apostle Paul, for he
quotes it in his address at Athens on Mars' Hill. He
says (Acts xvii. 28), " For in Him we live, and move,
and have our being; as, certain also of your own
poets have said, For we are also his offspring."*
Several translations of this poem have been made,
both by Cicero and others, into Latin, and in recent
times into English by E. Poste, J. Lamb, and others.
The following is the opening from the translation of
Robert Brown, jun. : —

" From Zeus we lead the strain ; he whom mankind
Ne'er leave unhymned: of Zeus all public ways,
All haunts of men, are full ; and full the sea,
And harbours; and of Zeus all stand in need.
We are his offspring :° and he, ever good and mild to man,

* toC yap Kal y4vos ifffitp.

14 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Gives favouring- signs, and rouses us to toil.

Calling- to mind life's wants : when clods are best

For plough and mattock : when the time is ripe

For planting vines and sowing seeds, he tells,

Since he himself hath fixed in heaven these Sig^ns,

The stars dividing : and throughout the year

Stars he provides to indicate to man

The seasons' course, that all things duly grow," etc., etc.

Then Aratus proceeds to describe and explain all
the Signs and Constellations as the Greeks in his day
understood, or rather misunderstood, them, after their
true meaning and testimony had been forgotten.

Moreover, Aratus describes them, not as they were
seen in his day, but as they were seen some 4,000
years before. The stars were not seen from Tarsus
as he describes them, and he must therefore have
written from a then ancient Zodiac. For notwith-
standing that we speak of " fixed stars," there is a con-
stant, though slow, change taking place amongst them.
There is also another change taking place owing to
the slow recession of the pole of the heavens (about
50" in the year) ; so that while Alpha in the con-
stellation of Draco was the Polar Star when the Zodiac
was first formed, the Polar Star is now Alpha in what
is called Ursa Minor. This change alone carries us
back at least 5,000 years. The same movement which
has changed the relative position of these two stars
has also caused the constellation of the Southern Cross
to become invisible in northern latitudes. When the
constellations were formed the Soidhern Cross was
visible in N. latitude 400, and was included in their
number. But, though known by tradition, it had not
been seen in that latitude for some twenty centuries,

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 1 5

until voyages to the Cape of Good Hope were made.
Then was seen again The Southern Cross depicted by
the Patriarchs. Here is another indisputable proof as
to the antiquity of the formation of the Zodiac.

Ptolemy (150 a. d.) transmits them from Hipparchus
{130 b.c.) " as of unquestioned authority, unknown
origin, and unsearchable antiquity."

Sir William Drummond says that " the traditions
of the Chaldean Astronomy seem the fragments of a
mighty system fallen into ruins."

The word Zodiac itself is from the Greek z«Wo$,
which is not from z*», to live, but from a primitive
root through the Hebrew Sodi, which in Sanscrit means
a way. Its etymology has no connection with living
creatures, but denotes a way, or step, and is used of the
way or path in which the sun appears to move amongst
the stars in the course of the year.

To an observer on the earth the whole firmament,
together with the sun, appears to revolve in a circle
once in twenty-four hours. But the time occupied
by the stars in going round, differs from the time
occupied by the sun. This difference amounts to
about one-twelfth part of the whole circle in each
month, so that when the circle of the heavens is
divided up into twelve parts, the sun appears to move
each month through one of them. This path which
the sun thus makes amongst the stars is called the
Ecliptic. *

* Besides this monthly difference, there is an annual difference , for at the end o(
twelve months the sun does not come back to exactly the same point in the sign
which commenced the year, but is a little behind it But this difference, though it

l6 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Each of these twelve parts (consisting each of
about 30 degrees) is distinguished, not by num-
bers or by letters, but by pictures and names, and
this, as we have seen, from the very earliest
times. They are preserved to the present day in our
almanacs, and we are taught their order in the
familiar rhymes : —

" The Ram, the Bull, the heavenly Twins,
And next the Crab, the Lion shines,

The Virgin and the Scales ;
The Scorpion, Archer, and Sea-Goat,
The Man that carries the Water-pot,

And Fish with glittering" scales. "

These signs have always and everywhere been pre-
served in this order, and have begun with Aries.
They have been known amongst all nations, and in
all ages, thus proving their common origin from one
source.

occurs every year, is so small that it will take 25,579 years for the sun to complete
this vast cycle, which is called The precession of the Equinoxes; i.e., about one
degree in every 71 years. If the sun came back to the precise point at which it
began the year, each sign would correspond, always and regularly, exactly with a
particular month ; but, owing to this constant regression, the sHn (while it goes
through the whole twelve signs every year) commences the year in one sign for only
about 2, 131 years. In point of fact, since the Creation the commencement of the
year has changed to the extent of nearly three of the signs. When Virgil sings —

'* The White Bull with golden horns opens the year"

he does not record what took place in his own day. This is another proof of the
antiquity of these signs.

The Ecliptic, or path of the sun, if it could be viewed from iaimediately beneath
the Polar Star, would form a complete and perfect circle, would be concentric with
the Equator, and all the stars and the sun would appear to move in this circle, never
tising or setting. To a person north or south of the Equator the stars therefore rise
and set obliquely ; while to a person on the Equator they rise and set perpendicularly,
each star being twelve hours above and twelve below the horizon.

The points where ' the two circles (the Ecliptic and the Equator) intersect each
other are called the Equinoctial points. It is the movement of these points (which
are now moving from Aries to Pisces) which gives rise to the term, r the precession 0/
the Equinoxes"

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 1 7

The figures themselves are perfectly arbitrary.
There is nothing in the groups of stars to even sug-
gest the figures. This is the first thing which is
noticed by every one who looks at the constellations.
Take for example the sign of Virgo, and look at
the stars. There is nothing whatever to suggest
a human form ; still less is there anything to show
whether that form is a man or a woman. And so
with all the others.

The picture, therefore, is the original, and must have
been drawn around or connected with certain stars,
simply in order that it might be identified and asso-
ciated with them ; and that it might thus be remem-
bered and handed down to posterity.

There can be no doubt, as the learned Authoress of
Mazzaroth conclusively proves, that these signs were
afterwards identified with the twelve sons of Jacob.
Joseph sees the sun and moon and eleven stars
bowing down to him, he himself being the twelfth
(Gen. xxxvii. 9). The blessing of Jacob (Gen. xlix.)
and the blessing of Moses (Deut. xxxiii.) both bear wit-
ness to the existence of these signs in their day. And
it is more than probable that each of the Twelve
Tribes bore one of them on its standard. We read in
Num. ii. 2, " Every man of the children of Israel shal)
pitch by his own Standard, with the Ensign of their
father's house " (r.v. " with the ensigns of their fathers'
houses"). This "Standard" was the Degel (?$$) on
which the " Sign " (JYIX, Oth) was depicted. Hence it
was called the " En-sign." Ancient Jewish authorities
declare that each tribe had one of the signs as its own,

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

and it is highly probable, even from Scripture, that four
of the tribes carried its " Sign " ; and that these four
were placed at the four sides of the camp.

If the Lion were appropriated to Judah, then the
other three would be thus fixed, and would be the same
four that equally divide the Zodiac at its four cardinal
points. According to Num. ii. the camp was thus
formed : —

ISSACHAR

{Cancer).

EAST.

Judah

The Lion

[Leo).

Zebulon
{Virgo).

— *?

j 3

< ?

* •§

°: -

.2 •

ex. 'S*

Levi

5 S $■

< o «.

The Scales

Q v> 5

v <0

{Libra)*

at .»

w V

£ ^

en •»«.

< s»

5r S3 «i

& CI 2

(6 H ^

Benjamin Ephraim and Manasseh

{Gemini). The Bull

(the two horns of Taurus).

WEST.

If the reader compares the above with the blessings
of Israel and Moses, and compares the meanings and
descriptions given below with those blessings, the

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 1 9

connection will be clearly seen. Levi, for example,
had no standard, and he needed none, for he kept
" the balance of the Sanctuary," and had the charge
of that brazen altar on which the atoning blood out-
weighed the nation's sins.

The four great signs which thus marked the four
sides of the camp, and the four quarters of the Zodiac,
are the same four which form the Cherubim (the
Eagle, the Scorpion's enemy, being substituted for the
Scorpion). The Cherubim thus form a compendious
expression of the hope of Creation, which, from the
very first, has been bound up with the Coming One,
who alone should cause its groanings to cease.

But this brings us to the Signs themselves and
their interpretation.

These pictures were designed to preserve, ex-
pound, and perpetuate the one first great promise and
prophecy of Gen. iii. 15, that all hope for Man, all
hope for Creation, was bound up in a coming Redeemer ;
One who should be born of a woman ; who should first
suffer, and afterwards gloriously triumph ; One who
should first be wounded by that great enemy who
was the cause of all sin and sorrow and death, but
who should finally crush the head of " that Old
Serpent the Devil."

These ancient star-pictures reveal this Coming
One. They set forth " the sufferings of Christ and
the glory that should follow." Altogether there are
forty-eight of them, made up of twelve Signs, each
sign containing three Constellations.

These may be divided into three great books, each

B 2

20 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

book containing four chapters (or Signs) ; and each
chapter containing three sections (or Constellations).

Each book (like the four Gospels) sets forth its
peculiar aspect of the Coming One ; beginning with the
promise of His coming, and ending with the destruction
of the enemy.

But where are we to begin to read this wondrous
Heavenly Scroll ?, A circle has proverbially neither
beginning nor end. In what order then are we to con-
sider these signs ? In the heavens they form a never-
ending circle. Where is the beginning and where is the
end of this circle through which the sun is constantly
moving ? Where are we to break into this circle ?
and say, This is the commencement. It is clear that
unless we can determine this original starting point
we can never read this wondrous book aright.

As I have said, the popular beginning to-day is with
Aries, the Ram. But comparing this Revelation with
that which was afterwards written " in the Volume of
the Book," Virgo is the only point where we can in-
telligently begin, and Leo is the only point where we
can logically conclude. Is not this what is spoken of
as the unknown and insoluble mystery — " The riddle
( of the Sphinx " ? The word " Sphinx " is from *ffyy",
to bind closely together. It was therefore designed to
show where the two ends of the Zodiac were to be
joined together, and where the great circle of the
heavens begins and ends.

The Sphinx is a figure with the head of a woman
/\ and the body of a lion ! What is this but a never-
ceasing monitor, telling us to begin with Virgo and

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

"id

su
in

a
o

X
w

4<S

t3 'O

Ph .5
a

■t: «io

-5 §

>
a
o

a
55

22 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

to end with Leo ! In the Zodiac in the Temple of
Esneh, in Egypt, a Sphinx is actually placed between
the Signs of Virgo and Leo, as shown in the illustration
on the preceding page. It is a tracing from the draw-
ing of Signor Bossi, executed on the spot, under the
direction of the late Mr. Edward J. Cooper, in 1820.

Beginning, then, with Virgo, let us now spread out
the contents of this Heavenly Volume, so that the eye
can take them in at a glance. Of course we are greatly
hindered in this, in having to use the modern Latin
names which the Constellations bear to-day.* Some
of these names are mistakes, others are gross per-
versions of the truth, as proved by the pictures them-
selves, which are far more ancient, and have come
down to us from primitive times.

After the Revelation came to be written down in
the Scriptures, there was not the same need for the
preservation of the Heavenly Volume. And after the
nations had lost the original meaning of the pictures,
they invented a meaning out of the vain imagination
of the thoughts of their hearts. The Greek My-
thology is an interpretation of (only some of) the
si<ins and constellations after their true meaning had
been forgotten. It is popularly believed that Bible
truth is an evolution from, or development of, the
.ancient religions of the world. But the fact is that
they themselves are a corruption and perversion of
primitive truth !

• It is exactly the same with the books of the Bible. Their order and their
names, as we have them in the English Bible, are those which man has given them,
copied from the Septuagint and Vulgate, and in many cases are not the Divine names
according to the Hebrew Canon. See The Names and Order of the Books of the
Old Testament, by the same author and publisher.

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 23

We will now give the contents of this Heavenly
Volume of Divine Revelation, and afterwards proceed
,to develope it, explain it in detail, and compare it with
the same truth which was afterwards written down in
the Scriptures.

Zhe jTirat *Bco\{.

THE REDEEMER.

(His First Coming.)
"The Sufferings of Christ"

CHAPTER I.
The Prophecy of the Promised Seed of the Woman.

VIRGO {The Virgin. A woman bearing a branch in her right hand
and an ear of corn in her left). The Promised Seed of the
woman.

§ I. Coma .{The Desired, The woman and child). The Desired
of all nations.

§ 2. Centaurus {The Centaur with two natures, holding a spear
piercing a victim). The despised sin offering.

§ 3. Bootes (a man walking learing a branch called arcturus,
meaning the same). He cometh.

CHAPTER II.

The Redeemer's Atoning Work.

LIBRA {The Scales). The price deficient balanced by the price

which covers.

§ I. Crux, The Cross endured.

§ 2. Lupus, or Victima, The Victim slain.

§ 3. Corona, The Crown bestowed.

24 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

CHAPTER III.

The Redeemer's Conflict.

SCORPIO (The Scorpion) seeking- to wound, but itself trodden
under foot.

§ I. Serpens (The Serpent struggling" with the man).

§ 2. O-phi-u-chus (The man grasping the serpent). The
struggle with the enemy.

§ 3. Hercules (The mighty man, A man kneeling on one knee,
humbled in the conflict, but holding aloft the tokens of victory,
with his foot on the head of the Dragon). The mighty
Vanquisher seeming to sink in the conflict.

CHAPTER IV.

The Redeemer's Triumph.

SAGITTARIUS (The Archer). The Two-natured Conqueror
going forth " Conquering and to conquer."

§ 1. Lyra (The Harp). Praise prepared for the Conqueror.

§ 2. Ara (The Altar). Consuming fire prepared for His ene-
mies.

§ 3. Draco (The Dragon). The Old Serpent — the Devil, cast
down from heaven.

Zbc Second l&ook.

THE REDEEMED.

The Result of the Redeemer's Sufferings.

CHAPTER I.

Their Blessings Procured.

CAPRICORNUS (The fish-goat). The goat of Atonement slain
for the Redeemed.

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

§ i. Sagitta {The Arrow). The arrow of God sent forth.

§ 2. Aquila (The Eagle). The smitten One falling-.

§ 3. Delphinus (The Dolphin). The dead One rising- again.

CHAPTER II.

Their Blessings Ensured.

AQUARIUS (The Water- Bearer). The living waters of blessing
poured forth for the Redeemed.

§ I. Piscis Australis (The Southern Fish). The blessings be-
stowed.

§ 2. Pegasus {The Winged Horse). The blessings quickly
coming.

§ 3. Cygnus (The Swan). The Blesser surely returning.

CHAPTER III.

Their Blessings in Abeyance.

PISCES (The Fishes). The Redeemed blessed thoug-h bound.

§ 1. The Band — bound, but binding- their great enemy Cetus,
the sea monster.

§ 2. Andromeda' {The Chained Woman). The Redeemed in
their bondage and affliction.

§ 3. Cepheus (The King). Their Redeemer coming to rule.

CHAPTER IV.

Their Blessings Consummated and Enjoyed.

ARIES (The Ram or Lamb). The Lamb that was slain, prepared
for the victory.

§ I. Cassiopeia (The Enthroned Woman). The captive delivered,,
and preparing for her husband, the Redeemer.

§ 2. Cetus (The Sea Monster). The great enemy bound.

§ 3. Perseus (The Breaker). Delivering His redeemed.

26 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Zhe Gbtrb Booh*

THE REDEEMER.

(His Second Coming.)
"The glory that should follow.*

CHAPTER L

Messiah, the coming Judge of all the Earth.

TAURUS {The Bull). Messiah coming to rule.

§ I. Orion, Light breaking forth in the person of the Redeemer.

§ 2. Eridanus {The River of the Judge). Wrath breaking- forth
for His enemies.

§ 3. Auriga {The Shepherd), Safety for the Redeemed in the
day of that wrath.

CHAPTER II.

Messiah's Reign as Prince of Peace.

GEMINI (The Twins). The twofold nature of the King.

§ 1. Lepus {The Hare), or the enemy trodden under foot.

§ 2. Canis major {The Dog), or Sirius, the coming glorious
Prince of Princes.

§ 3. Canis Minor {The Second Dog), or Procyon, the exalted
Redeemer.

CHAPTER III.

Messiah's Redeemed Possessions.

CANCER (The Crab). The possessions held fast.

§ 1. Ursa Minor {The Lesser Bear). The lesser sheepfold.
§ 2. Ursa Major {The Great Bear). The fold and the flock.
§ 3. Argo {The Ship). The redeemed pilgrims safe at home.

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. 2J

CHAPTER IV.

Messiah's Consummated Triumph.

LEO (The Lion). The Lion of the Tribe of Judah aroused foi
the rending of the Enemy.

§ I. Hydra (The Serpent). That old Serpent — the Devil, de-
stroyed.

§ 2. Crater ( The Cup). The cup of Divine wrath poured out

upon him.

§ 3. Corvus (The Crow, or Raven). Birds of prey devouring him.

Such are the contents of this wondrous book that
is written in the heavens. Thus has God been
speaking and emphasizing and developing His first
great prophetic promise of Gen. iii. 15. *

Though for more than 2,500 years His people had
not this Revelation written in a book as we now
have it in the Bible, they were not left in ignorance
and darkness as to God's purposes and counsels ; nor
were they without hope as to ultimate deliverance from
all evil and from the Evil One.

Adam, who first heard that wondrous promise,
repeated it, and gave it to his posterity as a most
precious heritage — the ground of all their faith, the
substance of all their hope, the object of all their desire.
Seth and Enoch took it up. Enoch, we know, pro-
phesied of the Lord's coming, saying, " Behold the
Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints to
execute judgment upon all" (Jude 14). How could
these " holy prophets, since the world began," have
recorded their prophecies better, or more effectually,

28 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

•or more truthfully and powerfully, than in these star-
pictures and their interpretation ? This becomes a
certainty when we remember the words of the Holy
Spirit by Zacharias (Luke i. 67-70) : —

" Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ;
For He hath visited and redeemed His people,
And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David ;

As He spake by the mouth of HIS HOLY PROPHETS
WHICH HAVE BEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."

The same truth is revealed through Peter, in
Acts iii. 20, 21 : — " He shall send Jesus Christ, which
before was preached unto you ; whom the heaven
must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all
HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD
BEGAN.'1

These words have new meaning for us, if we see
the things which were spoken " since the world began,"
thus written in the heavens, which utter speech (i.e.
prophecy), and show forth this knowledge day after
day and night after night, the heritage of all the earth,
and their words reaching unto the ends of the world.

This Revelation, coinciding as it does in all its
facts and truths with that afterwards recorded " in
the Volume of the Book," must have had the same
Divine origin, must have been made known by the
inspiration of the same Holy Spirit.

We now proceed to compare the two, and we
shall see how they agree at every point, proving that
the source and origin of this Divine Revelation is one
and the same.

VIRGO. 29

Zhe jfiret Bootu

THE REDEEMER.
(His First Coming.)

" The Sufferings of Christ."

HTHE First Book is occupied with the PERSON of
the Coming One. It covers the whole ground, and
includes the conflict and the victory of the Promised
Seed, but with special emphasis on His Coming.
The book opens with the promise of His coming, and
it closes with the Dragon cast down from heaven.

CHAPTER I.

The sign VIRGO.
The Promised Seed of the Woman.

Here is the commencement of all prophecy in
Gen. iii. 15, spoken to the serpent: — " I will put
enmity between thee and the woman, and between
thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise His heel." This is the prophetic
announcement which the Revelation in the heavens
and in the Book is designed to unfold and develops
It lies at the root of all the ancient traditions and
mythologies, which are simply the perversion and
corruption of primitive truth.

Virgo is represented as a woman with a branch in
her right hand, and some ears of corn in her left hand-
Thus giving a two-fold testimony of the Coming One*

30 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The name of this sign in the Hebrew is Bethulah,
which means a virgin, and in the Arabic a branch.
The two words are connected, as in Latin — Virgo,
which means a virgin; and virga, which means a
branch (Vulg. Isa. xi. i). Another name is Sunbul,
Arabic, an ear of corn.

In Gen. iii. 15 she is presented only as a woman;
but in later prophecies her nationality is defined as
being of the stock of Israel, the seed of Abraham, the
line of David; and, further, she is to be a virgin.
There are two prominent prophecies of her and her
seed : one is connected with the first coming in in-
carnation, Isa. vii. 14 (quoted in Matt. i. 23).

" Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
And shall call his name Immanuel."

The other is connected with His second coming,
leaping over the sufferings and this present interval of
His rejection, and looking forward to His coming in
glory and judgment, Isa. ix. 6, 7 (quoted in Luke ii. 11
and i. 32, 33) —

"For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given;*

And the government shall- be upon His shoulder;
And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince

of Peace.
Of the increase of His government there shall be no

end.

* Here, the fact of His humiliation, together with this long period of His rejection,
is leaped over, and the prophecy passes on at once — over at least a period of 1893
years — to this "glory which should follow.'*

VIRGO. 3 1

Upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom,

To order it, and to establish it

With judgment and with justice

From henceforth even for ever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

It is difficult to separate the Virgin and her Seed
in the prophecy ; and so, here, we have first the sign
Virgo, where the name points to her as the prominent
subject ; while in the first of the three constellations
of this sign, where the woman appears again, the name
Coma points to the child as the great subject.

Virgo contains no stars, viz., one of the ist mag-
nitude, six of the 3rd, ten of the 4th, etc.

Aratus thus sings of them : —

"Beneath Bootes feet the Virgin seek,
Who carries in her hand a glittering' spike. , » •
Over her shoulder there revolves a star
In the right wing, superlatively bright ; °
It rolls beneath the tail, and may compare
With the bright stars that deck the Greater Bear.
Upon her shoulder one bright star is borne,f
One clasps the circling girdle of her loins,J
One at her bending knee ; § and in her hand
Glitters that bright and golden Ear of Corn.|[

Thus the brightest star in Virgo (a)1T has an ancient
name, handed down to us in all the star-maps, in which
the Hebrew word (H^V) Tsemech is preserved. It is

* €, Al Mureddin. f £, Zavijavak. % The star now marked 5

§ The star (. || The star a, Al Zimach.

H Th^ stars are known by Greek letters and sometimes by numbers, &c.
Alpha (a) denotes a star of the fi rst magnitude; Beta (£,, the second, and so on.
This plan was originated by Bayer in his Uranometria, 1603. The star Alpha, as
■«een in the New Great Equatorial Telescope recently set up at Greenwich, is now
■discovered to be really a double star, though it had hitherto always appeared to be one.

32 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

called in Arabic A I Zimach, which means the branch.
This star is in the ear of corn which she holds in her
left hand. Hence the star has a modern Latin name,
which has almost superseded the ancient one, Spicar
which means, an ear of corn. But this hides the great
truth revealed by its name A I Zimach. It foretold the
coming of Him wh<J should bear this name. The same
Divine inspiration has, in the written Word, four times
connected it with Him. There are twenty Hebrew
words translated " Branch," but only one of them
(Tsemech) is used exclusively of the Messiah, and this
word only four times. • Each of these further connects
Him with one special account of Him, given in the
Gospels.

(i.) Jer. xxiii. 5, 6—

" Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,
That I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH

(i.e., a Son),
And a KING shall reign and prosper.""

The account of His coming as King is written in the
Gospel according to Matthew, where Jehovah says to
Israel, " Behold thy KING." (Zech. ix. 9; Matt.
xxi. 9.)

(2.) Zech. Hi. 8. — " Behold I will bring forth my
SERVANT the BRANCH." In the Gospel accord-
ing to Mark we find the record of Jehovah's servant
and His service, and we hear Jehovah's voice saying,.
" Behold my SERVANT." (Isa. xlii. I.)

(3.) Zech. vi. 12. — " Thus speaketh the Lord of
hosts, saying, Behold the MAN whose name is the

* Jer. xxxiii. 15 being only a repetition of Jer. xxiii. 5.

VIRGO. 33

BRANCH." In the Gospel according to Luke we
behold Him, presented in " the MAN Christ Jesus."

4. Isa. iv. 2.— " In that day shall the BRANCH of
JEHOVAH be beautiful and glorious." So that this;
Branch, this Son, is Jehovah Himself ; and as we read
the record of John we hear the voice from heavea
saying, " Behold your GOD>" (Isa. xl. 9.)

This is the Branch foretold by the star A I Zimach
in the ear of corn.

The star 0 is called Zavijaveh, which means the
gloriously beautiful, as in Isa. iv. 2. The star €, in
the arm bearing the branch, is called A I Mureddin,
which means who shall come down (as in Ps. lxxii. 8),
or who shall have dominion. It is also known as Vin-
demiatrix, a Chaldee word which means the son, or
branch, who cometh.

Other names of stars in the sign, not identified, are —

Subilah, who carries. (Isa. xlvi. 4.)

A I Azal, the Branch. (As in Isa. xviii. 5.)

Subilon, a spike of corn. (As in Isa. xvii. 5.)

The Greeks, ignorant of the Divine origin and
teaching of the sign, represented Virgo as Ceres, with
ears of corn in her hand.

In the Zodiac in the Temple of Denderah, in Egypt,
about 2000 B.C. (now in Paris), she is likewise repre-
sented with a branch in her hand, but ignorantly ex-
plained by a false religion to represent Isis ! Her
name is called Aspolia, which means ears of corn, or
the seed, which shows that though the woman is seen,
it is her Seed who is the great subject of the prophecy.

34 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Passing to the three constellations anciently i as-
signed to the sign Virgo, we come to what may be
compared to three sections of the chapter, each giving
some further detail as to the interpretation of its
teaching.

§ I. COMA (The Woman and Child).
The Desired of all Nations. *

The first constellation in Virgo explains that this
coming " Branch " will be a child, and that He should
be the " Desire of all nations. "

The ancient name of this constellation is Comah* the
desired, or the longed for. We have the word used by
the Holy Spirit in this very connection, in Hag. ii. 7 :
" The DESIRE of all nations shall come."

The ancient Zodiacs pictured this constellation
as a woman with a child in her arms. Albumazar \
(or Abu Masher), an Arabian astronomer of the
eighth century, says, " There arises in the first
Decan,J as the Persians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians,
and the two Hermes and Ascalius teach, a young
woman, whose Persian name denotes a pure virgin,
sitting on a throne, nourishing an infant boy (the boy,
I say), having a Hebrew name, by some nations called

* From n?D3» which occurs only in Ps. Ixiii. I, "my flesh longeth for thee." It
is akin to "ion* *<> desire. Ps. xix. 10 ; Is. liii. 2 ; Hag. ii. 7 ; etc.

f A Latin translation of his work is in the British Museum Library. He says the
Persians understood these signs, but that the Indians perverted them with inventions.

\ The constellations are called Decerns. The word means a part> and is used
of the three parts into which each sign is divided, each of which is occupied by
a constellation.

virgo : (coma). 35

IHESU, with the signification IEZA, which in Greek
is called CHRISTOS."

But this picture is not found in any of the modern
maps of the stars. There we find to-day a woman's
wig ! It appears that Berenice, the wife of Euergetes
(Ptolemy III.), king of Egypt in the third century B.C.,
when her husband once went on a dangerous expedi-
tion, vowed to consecrate her fine head of hair to Venus
if he returned in safety. Her hair, which was hung up
in the Temple of Venus, was subsequently stolen, and
to comfort Berenice, Conon, an astronomer of Alex-
andria (b.c 283-222), gave it out that Jupiter had
taken it and made it a constellation !

This is a good example of how the meaning of
other constellations have been perverted (ignorantly or
intentionally). In this case, as in others, the transition
from ancient to more modern languages helped to
hide the meaning. The Hebrew name was Coma
[desired). But the Greeks had a word for hair, C6-me.
This again is transferred to the Latin coma, and
thus " Coma Berenices " {the hair of Berenice) comes
down to us to-day as the name of this constellation,
and gives us a woman's wig instead of that Blessed
One, " the Desire of all Nations."

In this case, however, we are able to give absolute
proof that this is a perversion.

The ancient Egyptian name for this constellation
was Shes-nu, the desired son !

The Zodiac in the Temple of Denderah, in Egypt,
going back at least 2,000 years b.c, has no trace of
any hair, but it has the figure of a woman and child.

c 2

36 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

In our illustration we have given a copy of this very
ancient picture, and not the wig of hair !

We have been permitted to trace it from a work
on Egyptian Scenery by the late eminent astronomer,
Edward J. Cooper, of Markree Castle, co. Sligo,
who visited that Temple in the year 1820 with an
Italian artist, Signor Bossi. The original drawing from
which our tracing is made (and enlarged) was drawn
by Signor Bossi on the spot, before it was taken to
Paris in 1821.* We thus have before us the exact
representations of one of these star-pictures at least
4,000 years old.

Even Shakespeare understood the truth about this
constellation picture, which has been so long covered
by modern inventions. In his Titus Andronicus\ he
speaks of an arrow being shot up to heaven to the
" Good boy in Virgo's lap."

The constellation itself is very remarkable. Others
contain one or two stars of the first or second magnitude,
and then a greater or less variety of lesser stars ; but
this is peculiar from having no one very bright star, but
contains so many stars of the 4th and 5th magnitudes.
It contains 43 stars altogether, ten being of the 4th
magnitude, and the remainder of the 5th, 6th, etc.
/ It was in all probability the constellation of Coma

in which " the Star of Bethlehem " appeared. There
was a traditional prophecy, well-known in the East,

* It appears that MM. Saulnier, fils, and Lelorrain arrived while Signor Bossi was
engaged in copying it, but concealed their design to remove it. The King of France
paid ^"6,250 sterling for it. It has since been copied, and lithographs have been*
published.

f Act IV., Scene 3.

virgo : (coma). 37

carefully preserved and handed down, that a new star
would appear in this sign when He whom it foretold
should be born.

This was, doubtless, referred to in the prophecy
of Balaam, which would thus receive a double fulfil-
ment, first of the literal "Star," and also of the person
to whom it referred. The Lord said by Balaam
(Num. xxiv. 17),

" There shall come # a star out of Jacob,
And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel."

Thomas Hyde, an eminent Orientalist (1636-1703),
writing on the ancient religion of the Persians, quotes
from Abulfaragius (an Arab Christian Historian, 1226-
1286), who says that Zoroaster, or Zerdusht, the
Persian, was a pupil of Daniel the Prophet, and that he
predicted to the Magians (who were the astronomers
of Persia), that when they should see a new star
appear it would notify the birth of a mysterious
child, whom they were to adore. It is further stated
in the Zend A vesta that this new star was to appear
in the sign ot the Virgin. Some have supposed that
this passage is not genuine. But whether it was
interpolated before or after the event, it is equally
good evidence for our purpose here. For if it was
written before the event, it is evidence of the prophetic
announcement; and if it was interpolated after the
event it is evidence of the historic fact.

The Book of Job shows us how Astronomy flourished

* I.e.r come forth (as in the R.V.). At, as the preposition o is rendered in
Gen. iii. 24. "There shall come forth a star at or over the inheritance or possessions
of Jacob, " thus indicating the locality which would be on the meridian of this star.

38 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

in Idumea ; and the Gospel according to Matthew
shows that the Persian Magi, as well as others, were
looking for " the Desire of all nations. "

New stars have appeared again and again. It was
in 125 B.C. that a star, so bright as to be seen in
the day-time, suddenly appeared. It was this that
caused Hipparchus to draw up his catalogue of stars,
which has been handed down to us by 'Ptolemy
(150 A.D.).

This new star would show the latitude, passing at
that time immediately overhead at midnight, every
twenty- four hours ; while the prophecy would give
the longitude as the land of Jacob. Having these
two factors, it would be only a matter of observation,
and easy for the Magi to find the place where it
would be vertical, and thus to locate the very spot
of the birth of Him of whom it was the sign, for
they emphatically called it " His Star." There is
a beautiful tradition which relates how, in their
difficulty, on their way from Jerusalem to find the
actual spot under the Zenith of this star, these Magi
sat down beside David's " Well of Bethlehem " to
refresh themselves. There they saw the star reflected
in the clear water of the well. Hence it is written
that " when they saw the star they rejoiced with
exceeding joy," for they knew they were at the very
spot and place of His appearing whence He was
to " come forth."

There can be little doubt that it was a new star. In
the first place a new star is no unusual phenomenon.
In the second place the tradition is well supported by

virgo : (coma). 39

ancient Christian writers. One speaks of its " sur-
passing brightness." Another (Ignatius, Bp. of An-
tioch, a.d. 69) says, " At the appearance of the Lord
a star shone forth brighter than all the other stars."
Ignatius, doubtless, had this from those who had
actually seen it ! Prudentius (4th cent, a.d.) says that
not even the morning star was so fair. Archbishop
Trench, who quotes these authorities, says " This
star, I conceive, as so many ancients and moderns
have done, to have been a new star in the heavens."

One step more places this new star in the constella-
tion of Coma, and with new force makes it indeed
" His star " — the " Sign " of His " coming forth from
Bethlehem." Will it be " the sign of the Son of Man
in heaven " (Matt. xxiv. 30) when He shall " come
unto " this world again to complete the wondrous
prophecies written of Him in the heavenly and earthly
Revelations ? *

Thus does the constellation of Coma reveal that
the coming " Seed of the woman " was to be a child
born, a son given.

But He was to be more : He was to be God and

* It ought also to be noted that in the preceding year there were three conjunctions
of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, at the end of May and October, and at the begin-
ning of December. Kepler (1571— 1631) was the first to point this out, and his calcu-
lations have been confirmed by the highest authorities. These conjunctions occurred
in the sign of Pisces : and this sign, according to all the ancient Jewish authorities
(Josephus, Abarbanel, Eliezer, and others), has special reference to Israel. The con-
junction of Jupiter and Saturn, they hold, always marked the occurrence of some
event favourable to Israel; while Kepler, calculating backwards, found that this
astronomical phenomenon always coincided with some great historical crisis, viz. :
the Revelation to Adam, the birth of Enoch, the Revelation to Noah, the birth of
Moses, the birth of Cyrus, the birth of Christ, the birth of Charlemagne, and the
birth of Luther.

4© THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

man — two natures in one person ! This is the lesson
of the next picture.

§ 2. CENTAURUS (The Centaur).

The Despised Sin-offering.

It is the figure of a being with two natures.
Jamieson, in his Celestial Atlas, 1822, says, " On the
authority of the most accomplished Orientalist of our
own times, the Arabic and Chaldaic name of this
constellation is PlD." K Now this Hebrew word Bezeh
(and the Arabic A I Beze) means the despised. It is
the very word used of this Divine sufferer in Isa. liii. 3,
41 He is despised (njlj) and rejected of men."

The constellation contains thirty-five stars. Two
of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2nd, six of the 3rd,
nine of the 4th, etc., which, together with the four
bright stars in the Cross make a brilliant show in
southern latitudes.

The brightest star, a (in the horse's fore-foot), has
come down to us with the ancient name of Toliman,
which means the heretofore and hereafter, marking Him
as the one " which is, and which was, and which is to
come — the Almighty" (Rev. i. 8). Sir John Herschell
observed this star to be growing rapidly brighter. It
may be, therefore, one of the changeable stars, and
its name may be taken as an indication of the fact
that it was known to the ancients.

Another name for the constellation was in
Hebrew, Asmeath, which means a sin-offering (as in
Isa. liii. 10).

VIRGO : (CENTAURUS). 41

The Greek name was Cheiron, which means the
pierced, or who pierces. In the Greek fables Cheiron
was renowned for his skill in hunting, medicine,
music, athletics, and prophecy. All the most dis-
tinguished heroes of Greece are described as his pupils.
He was supposed to be immortal, but he volun-
tarily agreed to die ; and, wounded by a poisoned
arrow (not intended for him) while in conflict with
a wild boar, he transferred his immortality to Pro-
metheus ; whereupon he was placed amongst the
stars.

We can easily see how this fable is the ignorant
perversion of the primitive Revelation. The true
tradition can be seen dimly through it, and we can
discern Him of whom it spoke, — the all-wise, all-
powerful Teacher and Prophet, who " went about
doing good," yet " despised and rejected of men,"
laying down His life that others might live.

It is one of the lowest of the constellations, i.e.
the farthest south from the northern centre. It is
situated immediately over the Cross, which bespeaks
His own death ; He is seen in the act of destroying
the enemy.

Thus these star-pictures tell us that it would be as
a child that the Promised Seed should come forth and
grow and wax strong in spirit and. be filled with
wisdom (Luke ii. 40) ; and that as a man having
two natures He should suffer and die. Then the
third and last section in this first chapter of this
First Book goes on to tell of His second coming in
glory.

42 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

§ 3. BOOTES (The Coming One).

He cometh.

This constellation still further develops this won-
drous personage.

He is pictured as a man walking rapidly, with a
spear in his right hand and a sickle in his left hand.

The Greeks called him Bo-o-tes, which is from

the Hebrew root Bo (N13, to come), meaning the coming.

It is referred to in Ps. xcvi. 13 : —

" For He cometh,
For He cometh to judge the earth ;
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
' And the people with His truth."

It it probable that his ancient name was A returns *■■
(as referred to in Job ix. 9), for this is the name of
the brightest star, a (in the left knee). A returns means.
He cometh. +

The ancient Egyptians called him Smat, which
means one who rules^ subdues, and governs. They
also called him Bail (a reminiscence of the more
ancient Bo), which means also the coming one.

* The ancient name could not have been £ oo Us /Ahough it is derived from, and
may be a reminiscence of the Hebrew.

f Aratus calls him Arctcphylax> i.e., the guardian of Arctos, the flock of the
greater fold, called to-day the Great Bear : —

" Behind, and seeming to urge on the Bear,
Arctophylax, on earth Bootes named,
Sheds o'er the Arctic car his silver light."

By_sotne moderns he is mistakenly called The Waggoner. Hence the allusion of

Thompson : —

" Wide o'er the spacious regions of the North,
Bootes urges on his tardy wain. "

This perversion scarcely does justice even to human common sense, as waggoners
do not use a sickle for a whip !

Al Cor

Mizar

+ /Ursa

/Major

'-.Bene/- Nash

V7*/-

7 »V +

— > ^>py ,

'a fur ops.

f J\E£%M/roc

I + +

//"Z "v

Co>

jMuphride

\ ^^

Arcturus I

IV.BOOTES^c

ominq Une

virgo : (bootes). 43

The star /*, (in the spear-head) is named Al
Katurops, which means the branch, treading under foot.

The star c (just below the waist on his right
side) is called Mirac, or Mizar, or Izar. Mirac
means the coming forth as an arrow ; Mizar, or Izart
means the preserver, guarding.

The star 13 is called Muphride, i.e. who separates.

The star 0 (in the head) is named Nekkarf
i.e. the pierced (Zech. xii. 10), which tells us that
this coming judge is the One who was pierced
Another Hebrew name is Merga, who bruises.*

This brings us back again to Gen. iii. 15, and
closes up this first chapter of the First Book (Virgo) .
It shows us the Person of the Promised Seed from the
beginning to the end, from the first promise of the
birth of the Child in Bethlehem, to the final coming

* The constellation is a very brilliant one, having 54 stars, viz., one of the 1st
magnitude, six of the 3rd, eleven of the 4th, etc.

The constellation of the Canes Venatici {the Greyhounds), i.e., the two dogs
(Asterion and Chara), which Bootes holds by a leash, is quite a modern invention,
being added by Hevelius (1611-1687). The bright star of the 3rd magnitude in
the neck of Chara, was named " Cor Caroli" {the heart of Charles) by Sir Charles
Scarborough, physician to Charles II., in honour of Charles I., in 1649. This is a
good example of the almost infinite distance between the ancient and modern names.
The former are full of mysterious significance and grandeur, while the latter are
puerile in the extreme, almost approaching to the comic! e.g., the Air Pump, the
Painter's Easel, the Telescope, the Triangle, the Fly, the Microscope, the Indian,
the Fox and Goose, the Balloon, the Toucan (or American Goose), the Compasses,
Charles's Oak, the Cat, the Clock, the Unicorn, &c. The vast difference can be at
once seen between those designed by the ancients and those added by astronomers in
more recent times.

These new constellations were added, 22 by Hevelius (1611-1687); and 15 by
Halley (1656-1742). They were formed for the purpose of embracing those stars
which were not included in the ancient constellations. This shows that the old
constellations were not designed, like the modern ones, merely for the sake of enabling
astronomers to identify the positions of particular stars. In this case all the stars
would have been included. The object was exactly the opposite! Instead of the
pictures being designed to serve to identify the stars, only certain stars were used
for the purpose of helping to identify the pictures I

This is another important proof of the truth of our whole argument.

44 T^E WITNESS OF THE STARS.

of the great Judge and Harvester to reap the harvest
of the earth. This was the vision which was after-
wards shown to John (Rev. xiv. 15, 16), when he says,
41 I looked ; and behold a white cloud, and upon the
cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on
His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp
sickle. And another angel came out of the temple,
crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the
cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap ; for the time
is come for Thee to reap ; for the harvest of the
earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust
in His sickle on the earth ; and the earth was reaped."

This is the conclusion of the first chapter of this
First Book. Here we see the woman whose Seed is
to bruise the serpent's head, the Virgin-Born, the
Branch of Jehovah, perfect man and perfect God,
Immanuel, " God with us," yet despised and rejected
•of men, and yielding up His life that others may
have life for evermore. But we see Him coming after-
wards in triumphant power to judge the earth.

This is only one chapter of this First Book, but it
contains the outline of the whole volume, complete in
itself, so far as it regards the Person of the Coming
One. Like the Book of Genesis, it is the seed-plot
which contains the whole, all the rest being merely
the development of the many grand details which
are included and shut up within it. It is only one
chapter out of twelve, but it distinctly foreshadows
the end — even " the sufferings of Christ and the glory
which should follow."

LIBRA. 45

CHAPTER II.

The Sign LIBRA.

The Redeemer's Atoning Work; or The Price deficient
balanced by the Price which covers.

In the first chapter of this book we saw that this
Coming Seed of the woman was, among other thingsr
to give up His life for others.

The second chapter is going to define and develope
the manner and object of this death.

The name of the Sign, together with its three
constellations and the names of the stars composing
them, give the complete picture of this Redemption.

The Sign contains 51 stars, two of which are of the
2nd magnitude, one of the 3rd, eight of the 4th, etc.

The Hebrew name is Mozanaim, the Scales, weighing.
Its name in Arabic is A I Zubena, purchase, or redemp-
tion. In Coptic, it is Lambadia, station of propitiation
(from Lam, graciousness, and badia, branch). The
name by which it has come down to us is the Latin,
Libra, which means weighing, as used in the Vulgate
(Isa. xl. 12).

Libra contains three bright stars whose names
supply us with the whole matter. The brightest, a (in
the lower scale), is named Zuben al Genubi, which
means the purchase, or price which is deficient. This

46 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

points to the fact that man has been utterly ruined.
He is " weighed in the balances and found wanting."

" None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him ;
For the redemption of their soul is costly,
And must be let alone for ever/'

(Ps. xlix. 7, r.v.)

" Surely men of low degree are vanity (Heb. a breath),
And men of high degree are a lie ;
In the balances they go up ;

They are altogether lighter than vanity " (Heb. a breath).

(Ps. lxii. 9, r.v.)

This is the verdict pronounced and recorded by this
star Zuben al Genubi.

Is there then no hope ? Is there no one who can
pay the price ?

Yes ; there is " the Seed of the woman." He is not
merely coming as a child, but He is coming as an
atoning sacrifice.

He is coming for the purpose of Redemption ! He
can pay the price which covers ! Hence in the upper
scale we have another bright star with this very
name Zuben al Chemali — TPIE PRICE WHICH
COVERS ! Praised be God ! " They sang a new song,
saying, Thou art worthy . . . for Thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." (Rev. v. g.\
This is the testimony of 0, the second brightest
star ! It has another name, al Gubi, heaped up1 or high,
telling of the infinite value of this redemption price.
But there is a third star, y, below, towards Centaurus
and the Victim slain, telling, by that and by its name,
of the conflict by which that redemption would be

LIBRA. 47

accomplished. It is called Zuben Akrabi or Zuben
al Akrab, which means the price of the conflict !

There is, however, some reason to suppose that
Libra is a very ancient Egyptian corruption, bringing
in human merit instead of Divine righteousness ; " the
way of Cain " instead of the way of God. In the more
ancient Akkadian the months were called after the
names of the signs,* and the sign of the seventh month
is the sign that we now call Libra. The Akkadian
name for it was Tulku. Till means mound (like dhul
and dill), and ku means sacred; hence, Tulku means
the sacred mound , or the holy altar, f

Not only is the name and its meaning different, but
the teaching is infinitely greater and more important, if
we may believe that the original picture of this sign was
not a pair of scales, but the representation of a holy
altar. This would agree still better with the three con-
stellations which follow.

The names of the stars would also be more appro-
priate, for it is the Sacrifice of Christ which they
foreshadowed, and here it was that the price which
covered was paid, and outweighed the price which
was deficient. What that price was to be, and how
it was to be paid, and what was to be the result in
the Person of the Redeemer, is set forth in detail in
the three sections of this chapter by the constellations
of The Cross endured, The Victim slain, and The Crown
bestowed.

* See quotation from Dr. Budge, on page 12,

f And certainly the symbol by which it is still known ^ is more like the top of
an altar (See Ara, Plate XIV.) than a pair of balances, to which wc can trace no
resemblance whatever. See Note in the Appendix.

48 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

§ I. CRUX (The Cross).
The Cross Endured.

The Hebrew name was Adorn, which means cutting
off, as in Dan. ix. 26 : — " After threescore and two
weeks shall Messiah be cut off." The last letter of
the Hebrew alphabet was called Tau, which was
anciently made in the form of a cross. The ancient
Phoenician was Y* ; the ancient Hebrew, as found on
coins, was X and + ; the Aramaic, as found on
Egyptian monuments, was a transition p> or h, which
passed into the present square Hebrew character fi.
This letter is called Tan, and means a mark; espe-
cially a boundary -mark, a limit or finish. And it is the
last letter, which finishes the Hebrew alphabet to
this day.

The Southern Cross was just visible in the lati-
tude of Jerusalem at the time of the first coming of
our Lord to die. Since then, through the gradual
recession of the Polar Star, it has not been seen
in northern latitudes. It gradually disappeared and
became invisible at Jerusalem when the Real Sacrifice
was offered there ; and tradition, which preserved its
memory, assured travellers that if they could go far
enough south it would be again seen. Dante sang
of " the four stars never beheld but by the early
race of men." It was not until the sixteenth century
had dawned that missionaries and voyagers, doubling
the Cape for the first time, and visiting the tropics
and southern seas, brought back the news of " a

libra : (the cross). 49

wonderful cross more glorious than all the constellations
of the heavens."

It is a small asterism, containing only about five
stars, viz., one of the ist magnitude, two of the 2nd,
one of the 3rd, and one of the 4th. Four of these are
in the form of a cross.

Long before the Christian Era this sign of the
Cross had lost its true meaning, and had been per-
verted in Babylon and Egypt as it has since been
desecrated by Rome. The Persians and Egyptians
worshipped it. The cakes made and eaten in honour
of the Queen of Heaven were marked with it. This
heathen custom Rome has adopted and adapted in
her Good Friday cakes, which are thus stamped. But
all are alike ignorant of what it means, viz., " IT
IS FINISHED."

In Egypt, and in the earliest times, it was the
sign and symbol of life. To-day, Romanists use it as
the symbol of death ! But it means life ! Natural
life given up, and eternal life procured. Atonement,
finished, perfect, and complete ; never to be repeated,
or added to. All who partake of its benefits in
Christ now, in grace, by faith " ARE made nigh by the
blood of Christ" (Eph. ii. 13), and of them Jesus
says, " He that heareth my voice, and believeth on
Him that sent me HATH everlasting life, and shall
not come into judgment; but IS PASSED from
death unto life" (John v. 24). So perfect and com-
plete is the work which Jesus finished on the Cross
that we cannot seek to add even our repentance,
faith, tears, or prayers, without practically asserting

50 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS,

that the work of Christ is not finished, and is not
sufficient !

The Hebrew names of this constellation — Adorn and
Tau — rebuke our Pharisaic spirit, which is the relic
and essence of all false religions, and points to the
blessed fact that the Sacrifice was offered " once
for all," and the atoning work of Redemption com-
pletely finished on Calvary.

" 'Tis finished! the Messiah dies!
Cut off for sins, but not His own;
Accomplished is the sacrifice,

The great redeeming- work is done."

In the ancient Egytian Zodiac of Danderah this
first Decan of Libra is represented as a lion with
his tongue hanging out of his mouth, as if in thirst,
and a female figure holding a cup out to him. Under
his fore feet is the hieroglyphic symbol of running
water. What is all this but "the Lion of the tribe
of Judah " brought down " into the dust of death,"
and saying " I am poured out like water . . . my
strength is dried up" (Ps. xxii. 13-18): " I thirst"
(John xix. 28) : " and in my thirst they gave me
vinegar to drink" (Ps. lxix. 21)?

The Egyptian name of this Lion, however, points to
his ultimate triumph, for it is called Sera, that is, victory!

This brings us to —

§ 2. LUPUS or VICTIMA (The Victim).

The Victim Slam.

Its modern name is Lupus (a wolf), because it looks
like one. It may be any animal. The great point

-rja

libra: (lupus or victima). 51

of this ancient constellation is that the animal has been
slain, and is in the act of falling down dead.

Its Greek name^ is Thera, a beast, and Lycos, a
wolf. Its Latin name is Victima, or Bestia (Vulg.
Gen. viii. 17), which sufficiently indicates the great
lesson. This is confirmed by its ancient Hebrew
name, Asedah, and Arabic Asedaton, which both mean
to be slain.

More than 22 of its stars have been catalogued.
None of them are higher than the 4th magnitude ;
most of them are of the 5th or 6th.

True, He was " by wicked hands crucified and
slain," but He is slain here by the Centaur, i.e. by
Himself! To make it perfectly clear that it was His
own act (without which His death would lose all
merit), He uttered those solemn words: "I lay down
my life for the sheep. . . . No man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to
lay it down, and I have power to take it again "
(John x. 15-18). He " offered Himself without spot
to God." " He put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself" (Heb. ix. II, 26).

In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah He is pictured
as a little child with its finger on its lips, and He is
called Sura, a lamb ! In other pictures He has, besides,
the horn of a goat on one side of His head. All this
pointed to one and the same great fact, viz., the de-
velopment and explanation of what was meant by
the bruising of His heel! It meant that this Promised

D 2

52 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Seed of the woman should come as a child, that He
should suffer, and die upon the Cross, for

" He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter ;
And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb;
SO HE opened not his mouth."

(Isa. liii. 7.)

Hence, the constellation prefigures a silent, willing sacri-
fice^— Christ Jesus, who, " being found in fashion as a
man, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the Cross " (Phil. ii. 5-8).

§ 3. CORONA (The Crown).

The Crown Bestowed.

4< Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him,
and given Him a name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow."

This is what is foreshown by this concluding section
of the second chapter. Each chapter ends with glory.
As in the written Word of God, we frequently have the
glory of the Second Coming mentioned without any
allusions to the sufferings of the First Coming, but we
never have the First Coming in humiliation mentioned
without an immediate reference to the glory of the
Second Coming.

So here, the Cross is closely followed by the
Crown ! True, " we see not yet all things put under
Him, but we see Jesus ... for the suffering of
death crowned with glory and honour (Heb. ii. 9).

Yes, " the crowning day is coming," and all heaven
shall soon resound with the triumphant song, " Thou

libra: (corona). 53

art worthy, • • . for Thou wast slain and hast re-
deemed us to God by Thy blood " (Rev. v. 9).

The shameful Cross will be followed by a glorious
crown, and " every tongue shall confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

"Mighty Victor, reign for ever,

Wear the crown so dearly won;
Never shall Thy people, never

Cease to sing- what Thou hast done.
Thou hast fought Thy people's foes ;
Thou wilt heal Thy people's woes I "

The Hebrew name for the constellation is Atarah,
a royal crown, and its stars are known to-day in the East
by the plural, Ataroth !

Its Arabic name is A I Iclil, an ornament, or jewel.

It has 21 stars: one of the 2nd magnitude and
six of the 4th. It is easily known by the stars 9, 0,
a, 7, 8, and €, which form a crescent.

Its brightest star, a, has the Arabic name of Al
Phecca, the shining.

Thus ends this solemn chapter of Libra, which

describes the great work of Redemption, beginning

with the Cross and ending with the Crown. The

Redeemer's work of Atonement is most blessedly set

forth, and He alone is seen as the substitute for lost

sinners.

"What wondrous love, what mysteries
In this appointment shine !
My breaches of the law are His,
And His obedience mine."

54 THE WITNESS OF T«E STARS.

CHAPTER III.

The Sign SCORPIO.

The Redeemer's Conflict.

We come now right into the heart of the conflict.
The star-picture brings before us a gigantic scorpion
endeavouring to sting in the heel a mighty man who
is struggling with a serpent, but is crushed by the
man, who has his foot placed Tight on the scorpion's
heart.

The Hebrew name is Akrab, which is the name
of a scorpion, but also means the conflict, or war. It
is this that is referred to in Ps. xci. 13 :

"Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder.
The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample
under feet."

David uses the very word in Ps. cxliv. I, where he
blesses God for teaching his hands to war*

The Coptic name is Isidis, which means the attack of
the enemy, or oppression ; referring to " the wicked that
oppress me, my deadly enemies who compass me
about " (Ps. xvii. 9).

The Arabic name is A I Akrab, which means

wounding him that cometh.

There are 44 stars altogether in this sign. One
is of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2nd, eleven of the
3rd, eight of the 4th, etc.

SCORPIO. DJ

The brightest star, a (in the heart), bears the
ancient Arabic name of Antares, which means the
wounding. It is called by the Latins Cor Scorpii, be-
cause it marks the scorpion's heart. It shines omin-
ously with a deep red light. The sting is called
in Hebrew Lesath (Chaldee, Lesha); which means the
perverse. The stars in the tail are also known as
Leshaa, or Leshat* \

The scorpion is a deadly enemy (as we learn from
Rev. ix), with poison in its sting, and all the names
associated with the sign combine to set forth the malig-
nant enmity which is " set "between the serpent and
the woman's Seed.

That enmity is shown more fully in the written
Word, where we see the attempt of the enemy (in
Exod. i.) to destroy every male of the seed of Abraham,
and how it was defeated.

We see his effort repeated when he used Athaliah
to destroy " all the seed royal" (2 Kings xi.), and how
11 the king's son " was rescued " from among " the
slain.

We see his hand again instigating Haman, " the
Jews' enemy," to compass the destruction of the whole
nation, but defeated in his designs.

When the woman's Seed, the virgin's Son, was born,
we are shown the same great enemy inciting Herod to
slay all the babes in Bethlehem (Matt, ii.), but again he
is defeated.

* Antares seems also to have been known as Lesath.

56 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

In the wilderness of Judaea, and in the Garden of

Gethsemane the great conflict is renewed. " This is

your hour and the power of darkness,"* He said to His

enemies.
•»

The real wounding in the heel was received at the
Cross. It was there the scorpion struck the woman's
seed. He died, but was raised again from the dead
" to destroy the works of the devil."

To show us this ; to prevent any mistake ; to set
forth the fact that this conflict only apparently ended in
defeat, and that it did not really so end, we have the
first two constellations belonging to this sign presented
in one picture ! Indeed, the picture is threefold, for it
includes the sign itself (as shown on the cover) !

If these pictures had been separated, then the
conflict would have been separated from the victory;
the deadly wound of the serpent's head from the
temporary wound in the Victor's heel. Hence, three
pictures are required, in which the scorpion, the serpent,
and the man, are all involved, in order to present at
the same time the triumphant issue of the conflict.

Hence, we must present, and consider together, the
first two sections of this mysterious chapter.

§§ i and 2. SERPENS and OPHIUCHUS.

The Struggle with the Enemy.

Here, Serpens, the serpent, is seen struggling vainly
in the powerful grasp of the man who is named
O-phi-u-chus. In Latin he is called Serpentarius.

* Luke xxii. 53 : comp. CoL i. 13 and Eph. vl 12.

scorpio : (serpens and ophiuchus). 57

He is at one and the same moment shown to be
seizing the serpent with his two hands, and treading
on the very heart of the scorpion, marked by the deep
red star Antares (wounding).

Just as we read the first constellation of the
woman and child Coma, as expounding the first sign
Virgo, so we have to read this first constellation
as expounding the second sign Libra. Hence, we
have here a further picture, showing the object of
this conflict on the part of the scorpion.

In Scorpio we see merely the effort to wound
Ophiuchus in the heel ; but here we see the effort of
the serpent to seize the Crown, which is situated
immediately over the serpent's head, and to which
he is looking up and reaching forth.

The contest is for Dominion ! It was the Devil,
in the form of a serpent, that robbed the first man
of his crown ; but in vain he struggled to wrest it
from the sure possession of the Second Man. Not
only does he fail in the attempt, but is himself
utterly defeated and trodden under foot.

There are no less than 134 stars in these two
constellations. Two are of the 2nd magnitude, four-
teen of the 3rd, thirteen of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star in the Serpent, a (in the neck),
is named Unuk, which means encompassing. Another
Hebrew name is Alyah, the accursed. From this is
A I Hay (Arabic), the reptile. The next brightest star
is ^ (in the jaw), named, in Arabic, Cheleb, or
Chelbalrai, the serpent enfolding. The Greek name,

58 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Ophiuchus, is itself from the Hebrew and Arabic name
Afeichus, which means the serpent held. The brightest
star in Ophiuchus, a. (in the head), is called Ras al
Hagus (Arabic), the head of him who holds.

Other Hebrew names of stars, not identified, are
Triophasr treading under foot ; Saiph (in the foot * of
Ophiuchus), bruised; Camehus, the wounding; Megerost
contending. t In the Zodiac of Denderah we have a
throned human figure, called Api-bau, the chief who
cometh. He has a hawk's head to show that he is
the enemy of the serpent, which is called Khu, and
means ruled or enemy.

All these combine to set before us in detail the
nature of the conflict and its final issue. That final
issue is, however, exhibited by the last of the three
constellations of this chapter. The Victor Himself
requires a whole picture to fully set forth the glorious
victory. This brings us to —

§ 3. HERCULES (The Mighty Man).
The Mighty Vanquisher.

Here the mighty one, who occupies a large portion
of the heavens, is seen bending on one knee, with
his right heel lifted up as if it had been wounded,

* In 1604 a new star appeared in the eastern foot of Ophiuchus, but disappeared
again in 1605.

f There is an ancient Greek fable which calls Ophiuchus ^Esculapius, the son of
Apollo. Having restored Hippolytus to life, he was everywhere worshipped as the
god of health, and hence the serpent entwined around him is, to this day, the symbol
of the medical art ! This, however, is, doubtless, another perversion of the primitive
truth that the Coming One in overcoming the serpent, should become the great healer
of all the sorrows of the world, and cause all its groanings to cease.

scorpio: (hercules). 59

while his left foot is set directly over the head of the
great dragon. In his right hand he wields a great
club, and in his left hand he grasps a triple-headed
monster (Cerberus). And he has the skin of a lion,
which he has slain, thrown around him.*

In the Zodiac of Denderah we have a human
figure, likewise with a club. His name is Bau,
which means who conieth, anjd is evidently intended
for Him who cometh to crush the serpent's head,
and " destroy the works of the devil."

In Arabic he is called A I Giscale, the strong one.

There are 113 stars in this constellation. Seven
are of the 3rd magnitude, seventeen of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in his head), is named
Ras al Gethiy and means the head of him who bruises.

The next, j3 (in the right arm-pit), is named
KornephoruSy and means the branch, kneeling.

The star *c (in the right elbow) is called Marsict
the wounding.

The star X (in the upper part of the left arm) is

named Ma'asyn, the sin-offering.

While w (in the lower part of the right arm) is
Caiam. or Guiam, punishing; and in Arabic, treading
under foot.

* Cerberus, or the serpent with three heads, was placed by Hevelius (1611-1687)'
by the side of Hercules. Bayer had previously placed the apple branch in his hand.
This was symbolical of the golden apples of Hesperides, which he obtained by killing
this three-headed hydra, by whom they were guarded. In our picture these are com-
bined, and a bow and quiver added from other ancient authorities.

CO THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Thus does everything in the picture combine to
set forth the mighty works of this stronger than the
strong man armed !

We can easily see how the perversion of the truth
by the Greeks came about, and how, when the true
foreshadowings of this Mighty One had been lost, the
many fables were invented to supply their place.
The wiser sort of Greeks knew this perfectly well.
Aristotle (in his Metaphysics, x. 8) admits, with
regard to Greek mythology, that religion and philo-
sophy had been lost, and that much had been
41 added after the mythical style," while much had
come down, and " may have been preserved to our
times as the remains of ancient wisdom." Religion,
such as it was (Polybius confesses), was recognised
as a " necessary means to political ends." Neander
says that it was " the fragments of a tradition, which
transmitted the knowledge of divine things possessed
in the earliest times."

Aratus shews the same uncertainty as to the
meaning of this Constellation of Hercules. He says ;

"Near this, and like a toiling man, revolves
A form. Of it can no one clearly speak,
Nor what he labours at. They call him simply
'The man upon his knees': In desperate struggle
Like one who sinks, he seems. From both his

shoulders
His arms are high-uplifted and out-stretched
As far as he can reach ; and his right foot
Is planted on the coiled Dragon's head."

Ancient authorities differ as to the personality of
Hercules, and they disagree as to the number, nature,
and order of what are sometimes called " the twelve

scorpio : (hercules). . 61

labours of Hercules. " But there is no doubt as to
the mighty foretold works which the woman's Seed
should perform.

From first to last Hercules is seen engaged in
destroying some malignant foe: now it is the Nemean
lion ; then it is the slaying of the boar of Erymanthus ;
again, it is the conquest of the bull of Crete ; then the
killing of the three-headed hydra, by whose venom
Hercules afterwards died. In the belly of the sea
monster he is said to have remained " three days
and three nights." This was, doubtless, a perversion
of the type of Jonah, introduced by Lycophron, who
(living at the court of Ptolemy Philadelphia, under
whose auspices the Hebrew Scriptures were trans-
lated into Greek) would have known of that Divine
miracle, and of its application to the Coming One-
Bishop Horsley believed that the fables of the Greek
mythology could be traced back to the prophecies
of the Messiah, of which they were a perversion
from ignorance or design. This is specially true of
Hercules. In his apparently impossible tasks of over-
throwing gigantic enemies and delivering captivesr
we can see through the shadow, and discern the pure
light of the truth. We can understand how the
original star-picture must have been a prophetic repre-
sentation of Him who shall destroy the Old Serpent
and open the way again, not to fabled " apples of
gold," but to the " tree x>f life " itself. He it is who
though suffering in the mighty conflict, and brought
to His knee, going down even to " the dust of death,"
shall yet, in resurrection and advent glory, wield His-

62 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

victorious club, subdue all His enemies, and plant
His foot on the Dragon's head. For of Him it is
written : —

"Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder;
The young- lion and the dragon shalt Thou trample
under foot." (Ps. xci. 13.)

«' Come, Lord, and burst the captives' chains,

And set the prisoners free;
Come, cleanse this earth from all its stains,

And make it meet for Thee !
Oh, come and end Creation's groans —

Its sighs, its tears, its blood,
And make this blighted world again

The dwelling-place of God."

CHAPTER IV.

The Sign SAGITTARIUS.

The Redeemer's Triumph.

This is the concluding chapter of the first great
book of this Heavenly Revelation ; and it is occupied
wholly with the triumph of the Coming One, who is re-
presented as going forth " conquering and to conquer.'1
The subject is beautifully set forth in the written
Word (Ps. xlv. 3-5) : —

" Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most mighty,
[Gird Thyself] with Thy glory and Thy majesty,
And in Thy majesty ride prosperously,
Because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness;
And Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's

enemies;
Whereby the people fall under Thee."

SAGITTARIUS. 63

John, in his apocalyptic vision, sees the same
mighty Conqueror going forth. " I saw (he says) a
white horse, and He that sat on him had a bow, . . .
and He went forth conquering and to conquer "
{Rev. vi. 2).

This is precisely what is foreshadowed in the
•star-pictured sign now called by the modern Latin
name Sagittarius, which means the Archer.

The Hebrew and Syriac name of the sign is
Kesith, which means the Archer (as in Gen. xxi. 20).
The Arabic name is Al'Kaus, the arrow. In Coptic
it is Pimaere, the graciousness, or beauty of the coming
forth. In Greek it is Toxotes. the archer t and in Latin
Sagittarius.

There are 69 stars in the sign, viz., five of the
3rd magnitude (all in the bow), nine of the 4th, etc.

The names of the brightest stars are significant : —

Hebrew, Nairn, which means the gracious one. This

is exactly what is said of this Victor in the same

Psalm (xlv.), in the words immediately preceding the

•quotation above (verse 2) :

"GRACE is poured into Thy lips;
Therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever."

Hebrew, Nehushta, the going or sending forth.

We see the same in the Arabic names which have
►come down to us: A I Nairn, the gracious one; A I
Shaula, the dart; A I Warida, who comes forth ; Ruchha
cr rami, the riding of the bowman.

An ancient Akkadian name in the sign is Nun-kiy
which means Prince of the Earth.

64 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Again we have the picture of a Centaur as to his
outward form, i.e. a. being with two natures. Not
now far down in the south, or connected with His
sufferings and sacrifice as man ; but high up, as a
sign of the Zodiac itself, on the ecliptic, i.e. in the
very path in which the sun " rejoice th in his going
forth as a strong man."

According to Grecian fable, this Sagittarius is
Cheiron, the chief Centaur ; noble in character,
righteous in his dealings, divine in his power.

Such will be the coming Seed of the woman in
His power and glory : —

" The sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness;
Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the
oil of gladness above thy fellows."

(Ps. xlv. 6, 7.)

In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah he is called
(as in Coptic) Pi-maere, i.e. graciousness, beauty of the
appearing or coming forth. The characters under the
hind foot read Knem, which means He conquers.

This is He who shall come forth like as an arrow
from the bow, " full of grace," but " conquering and
to conquer."

In all the pictures he is similarly represented,
and the arrow in his bow is aimed directly at the
heart of the Scorpion.

Thus Aratus sang of Cheiron:—

" 'Midst golden stars he stands refulgent now,
And thrusts the scorpion with his bended bow."

SAGITTARIUS: (lYRa). 6^

In this Archer we see a faint reflection of Him
who shall presently come forth, all gracious, all wise,
all powerful ; whose arrows shall be " sharp in the
heart of the King's enemies."

" God shall shoot at them with an arrow ;
Suddenly shall they be wounded.

So they shall make their own tong-ue to fall upon them-
selves ;
All that see them shall flee away.
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of

God;
For they shall wisely consider of His doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust

in Him ;
And all the upright in heart shall glory."

(Ps. lxiv. 7-10.)
" Christ is coming J let Creation

From her groans and travail cease;
Let the glorious proclamation

Hope restore, and faith increase.

Christ is coming,
Come, thou blessed Prince of peace."

This brings us to the first of the three constella-
tions or sections of this chapter, which takes up
this subject of praise to the Conqueror.

§ I. LYRA (The Harp).

Praise prepared for the Conqueror.

11 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion "
(Ps. lxv. 1). And when the waiting time is over,
and the Redeemer comes forth, then the praise shall
be given. " We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the
Almighty, which art, and which wast, because thou

66 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and didst reign "
(Rev. xi. 17, r.v.). " Let us be glad and rejoice and
give honour unto Him7' (Rev. xix. 7). The Twenty-
first Psalm should be read here, as it tells of the
bursting forth of praise on the going forth of this
all-gracious Conqueror.

"The King- shall rejoice in Thy strength, O Lord;
And in Thy salvation how greatly shall He rejoice! . . .
Thine hand shall find out all Thine enemies :
Thy right hand shall find out all that hate thee. . . .
Their fruit shalt Thou destroy from the earth ;
And their seed from among- the children of men.
For they intended evil against Thee;
They imagined a mischievous device which they are not

able to perform,
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back (Heb.

Margin, "set them as a butt"),
When Thou shalt make ready Thine arrows upon Thy

strings
[And shoot them] against the face of them.
Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength;
SO WILL WE SING AND PRAISE THY POWER/1

(Ps. xxi. I, 8, 10-13.)

Beautifully, then, does the harp come in here,
following upon the going forth of this victorious
Horseman. This Song of the Lamb follows as
naturally as does the Song of Moses in Ex. xv. 1 :
" I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed
gloriously."

Its brightest star, a, is one of the most glorious
in the heavens, and by it this constellation may
be easily known. It shines with a splendid white
lustre. It is called Vega, which means He shall be
exalted. Its root occurs in the opening of the Song

*C ^ • ;-.

QM..J ••*♦;«

- A^

•••, ^ ;■:

..." ..••*>•'

^ w

wSulaphat
\i\ i i I' i

v '.-v

VI ♦ V^xJ

f?h kkR

+ + +

+ Ver

Hercules \ '••

+ + + / ••* + / r .'

/ j ./C.yc/vL/s

SAGITTARIUS : (LYRA). bj

of Moses, quoted above. Is not this wonderfully
expressive ?

Its other stars, 0 and y, are also conspicuous stars,
of the 2nd and 4th magnitude. 0 is called Shelynk,
which means an eagle (as does the Arabic, A I Nesr) ;
7 is called Sulaphat, springing up, or ascending, as
praise.

In the Zodiac of Denderah, this constellation is
figured as a hawk or an eagle (the enemy of the
serpent) in triumph. Its name is FenUkar, which
means the serpent ruled.

There may be some confusion between the Hebrew
"1^3, Nesher, an eagle, and *flfc?y, Gnasor, a harp ; * but
there can be no doubt about the grand central truth,
that praise shall ascend up " as an eagle toward
heaven/' when " every creature which is in heaven, and
on the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that is
in them," shall send up their universal song of praise:
11 Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be
unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever. Amen " (Rev. v. 13, 14).

And for what is all this wondrous anthem of
praise ? Listen once again. " Alleluia f ; Salvation,
and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our

* In our picture we have combined the two great thoughts, taking the harp from
a picture dug up at Ilerculaneum, and adding an eagle soaring up with it.

f This is the first time that the word " Alleluia" occurs in the New Testament,
and it is praise for judgment executed.

Where is its first occurrence in the Old Testament ? In Ps. civ. 35, where we
have the very same solemn and significant connection : —

*' Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless thou the Lord, O my soul,
Hallelujah (Praise ye the Lord)."

E 2

68 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

God; for TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS
JUDGMENTS. . . . And again they said Alleluia "
(Rev. xix. 1—3).

With " that blessed hope " before us,

Let no harp remain unstrung" ;
Let the coming" advent chorus

Onward roll from tongue to tongue,
Hallelujah,

"Come, Lord Jesus," quickly come.

This brings us to —

§ 2. ARA (The Altar).
Consuming Fire Prepared for His Enemies.

Here we have an altar or burning pyre, placed
significantly and ominously upside down ! with its
fires burning and pointing downwards towards the
lower regions, called Tartarus, or the abyss, or " outer-
darkness. "

It is an asterism with nine stars, of which three
are of the 3rd magnitude, four of the 4th, etc.
It is south of the Scorpion's tail, and when these
constellations were first formed it was visible only on
the very lowest horizon of the south, pointing to the
completion of all judgment in the lake of fire.

In the Zodiac of Denderah we have a different
picture, giving us another aspect of the same judg-
ment. It is a man enthroned, with a flail in his
hand. His name is Bait, the same name as
Hercules has, and means He cometh. It is from
the Hebrew *03 (Boh), to come, as in Isa. lxiii. 1:

" Who is this that cometh from Edom,
With dyed garments from Bozrah."

SAGITTARIUS: (ARA). 69

This is a coming in judgment, as is clear from
the reason given in verse 4 :

" For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart,
And the year of My redeemed is come.
And I looked, and there was none to help ;
And I wondered that there was none to uphold;
Therefore Mine own arm brought salvation,
And My fury, it upheld Me."

(Isa. lxiii. 4, 5.)

The completion of judgment, therefore, is what is
pictured both by the burning pyre and the Coming
One enthroned, with his threshing instrument.

In Arabic it is called A I Mugamra, which means
the completing, or finishing. The Greeks used the
word Ara sometimes in the sense of praying, but
more frequently in the sense of imprecation or
cursing.

This is the curse pronounced against the great
enemy. This is the burning fire, pointing to the
completion of that curse, when he shall be cast into
that everlasting fire " prepared for the devil and his
angels." This is the allusion to it written in the
midst of the very Scripture from which we have
already quoted (p. 66), Ps. xxi., where we read in
verse 9 (which we then omitted) : —

" Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time
of Thine anger:
The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath;
And the fire shall devour them."

This brings us to the final scene, closing up this
first great book of the Heavens.

70 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

§ 3. DRACO (The Dragon).

The Old Serpent, or the Devil, cast down from

Heaven,

Each of the three great books concludes with
this same foreshowing of Apocalyptic truth. The
same great enemy is referred to in all these pictures.
He is the Serpent ; he is the Dragon ; " the great
dragon, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan "
(Rev. xii. 9). The Serpent represents him as the
Deceiver; the Dragon, as the Destroyer.

This First Book concludes with the Dragon being
cast down from heaven.

The Second Book concludes with Cetus, the Sea
Monster, Leviathan, bound.

The Third Book concludes with Hydra, the Old
Serpent, destroyed.

Here, at the close of the First Book, we see not
merely a dragon, but the Dragon cast down! That
is the point of this great star-picture.

No one has ever seen a dragon ; but among all
nations (especially in China and Japan), and in all
ages, we find it described and depicted in legend
and in art. Both Old and New Testaments refer
to it, and all unite in connecting with it one and
the same great enemy of God and man. *

It is against him that the God-Man — "the Son
of God — goes forth to war." It is for him that the

SAGITTARIUS : (DRACO). 71

eternal fires are prepared. It is he who shall
shortly be cast down from the heavens preparatory
to his completed judgment. It is of him we read,
11 The great dragon was cast out, that .old serpent,
called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the
whole world : he was cast out and his angels with
him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the
kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ ;
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down " (Rev.
xii. 9, 10).

It is of him that David sings : —

"God is my king of old,
Working- salvation in the midst of the earth . . .
Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces.''

(Ps. Ixxiv. 12-14.)

Of him also the Spirit causes Isaiah to say, " In
that day, shall this song be sung in the land of
Judah " ;—

" In that day the Lord, with his sore, and great, and
strong sword,
Shall punish leviathan the piercing (r.v. swift) serpent,
Even leviathan that crooked serpent ;
And he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea."

(Isa. xxvi. 1 ; xxvii. i.) •

This is exactly what is foreshadowed by this
constellation of Draco. Its name is from the
Greek, and means trodden on, as in the Septuagint of
Ps. xci. 13 : " The dragon shalt thou trample under
feet," from the Hebrew *p?, Dahrach, to tread.

72. THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

In the Zodiac of Denderah it is shown as a
serpent under the fore-feet of Sagittarius, and is
named Her-fent, which means the serpent accursed!

There are 80 stars in the constellation ; four
of the 2nd magnitude, seven of the 3rd mag-
nitude, ten of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in one of the latter coils),
is named Thuban (Heb.), the subtle. Some 4,620
years ago it was the Polar Star. It is manifest,
therefore, that the Greeks could not have invented
this constellation, as is confessed by all modern
astronomers. It is still a very important star in
nautical reckonings, guiding the commerce of the
seas, and thus " the god of this world" is repre-
sented as winding in his contortions round the pole
of the world, as if to indicate his subtle influence
in all worldly affairs.

The next star, 0 (in the head), is called by the

Hebrew name Rastaban, and means the head of the

subtle [serpent). In the Arabic it is still called A I

Waidt which means who is to be destroyed.

The next star, y (also in the head), is called
Ethanin, i.e., the long serpent, or dragon.

The Hebrew names of other stars, not identified,
are Grumian, the subtle; Giansar, the punished enemy.
Other (Arabic) names are Al Dib, the reptile; El
Athik, the fraudful; El Asieh, the bowed down. .

And thus the combined testimony of every star
(without a single exception) of each constellationt

..-: The

• Polar Star

i ••""■♦'••. Al Rue co bo
: : V

£/flSA MINOR

Vb h >

Rasfauan ,

■ lyoJAlWaid

XV.

DRAGO.O^Draqon
Cast doounj

•• HERCULES

Sagittarius: (draco). 73

and the constellations of each sign, accords with
the testimony of the Word of God concerning the
coming Seed of the woman, the bruising of His
heel, the crushing of the serpent's head, " the suffer-
ings of Christ, and the glory which should follow."

" From far I see the g-lorious day,
When He who bore our sins away,
Will all His majesty display.

A Man of Sorrows once He was,

No friend was found to plead His cause,

As all preferred the world's applause.

He groaned beneath sin's awful load,
For in the sinner's place He stood,
And died to bring* him back to God.

But now He waits, with glory crowned,
While ang-el hosts His throne surround,
And still His lofty praises sound.

To few on earth His name is dear,

And they who in His cause appear,

The world's reproach and scorn must bear.

Jesus, Thy name is all my boast,

And though by waves of trouble tossed,

Thou wilt not let my soul be lost.

Come then, come quickly trom above,
My soul impatient longs to prove,
The depths of everlasting- love/'

74 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Cbe Secon& BooU,

THE REDEEMED.

The Result of the Redeemer's Sufferings,

T N the First Book we have had before us the
work of the Redeemer set forth as it concerned
His own glorious person. In this Second Book it
is presented to us as it affects others. Here we
see the results of His humiliation, and conflict, and
victory — " The sufferings of Christ " and the bless-
ings they procured for His redeemed people.

In Chapter I. we have the Blessings procured.

In Chapter II. their Blessings ensured.

In Chapter III. their Blessings in abeyance.

In Chapter IV. their Blessings enjoyed.

CHAPTER I.

The Sign CAPRICORNUS (The Sea Goat),

The Goat of Atonement Slain /or the Redeemed.

It is most noteworthy that this Second Book
opens with the Goat, and closes with the Ram :
two animals of sacrifice ; while the two middle

CAPRICORNUS. 75

chapters are both connected with fishes.* The
reason for this we shall see as we proceed.

Both are combined in the first chapter, or
11 Sign " of Capricornus.

In all the ancient Zodiacs, or Planispheres, we
find a goat with a fish's tail. In the Zodiacs of
Denderah and Esneh, in Egypt, it is half-goat and
half-fish, and it is there called Hu-penius, which
means the place of the sacrifice.

In the Indian Zodiac it is a goat passant tra-
versed by a fish.

There can be no doubt as to the significance
of this sign.

In the Goat we have the Atoning Sacrifice, in
the Fish we have the people for whom the atone-
ment is made. When we come to the sign
"Pisces" we shall see more clearly that it points
to the multitudes of the redeemed host.

The Goat is bowing its head as though falling
down in death. The right leg is folded under-
neath the body, and he seems unable to rise with
the left. The tail of the fish, on the other handr
seems to be full of vigour and life.

The Hebrew name of the sign is Gedi, the kid
or cut off, the same as the Arabic Al Gedi. Capri-
cornus is merely the modern (Latin) name of the
sign, and means goat.

* There is a fish tail here. The third Decan of Capricornus is a fish
(Delphinus). There is again a fish (Pisa's Australis) in the next sign (Aquarius),
and then the following sign is Pisces, or the Fishes. So that the Redeemed
Multitudes are presented throughout this Second Book.

j6 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

There are 51 stars in the sign, three of which
are of the 3rd magnitude, three of the 4th, etc.
Five are remarkable stars, a and 3 in the horn and
head, and the remaining three, y, 8, and €, in
the fishy tail. The star a is named A I Gedi, the kid
or goat, while the star i is called Deneb A I Gedi,
the sacrifice cometh.

Other star-names in the sign, not identified, are
Dabih (Syriac), the sacrifice slain; A I Dabik and A I
Dehabeh (Arabic) have the same meaning; Ma'asad,
the slaying; Sa'ad al Naschira, the record of the
catting off.

Is not this exactly in accord with the Scrip-
tures of truth ? There were two goats ! Of " the
goat of the sin-offering " it is written, " God hath
given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congre-
gation, to make atonement for them before the
Lord " (Lev. x. 16, 17) : of the other goat, which
was not slain, " he shall let it go into the wilder-
ness" (Lev. xvi. 22). Here is death and resur-
rection. Christ was " wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities." " For the transgres-
sion of MY PEOPLE was He stricken" (Isa. liii.).
He laid down His life for the sheep.

In the first chapter of the First Book we had
the same Blessed One presented as "a corn of
wheat." Here we see Him come to " die," and
hence not abiding alone, but bringing forth " much
fruit" (John xii. 24). The living fish proceeds from
the dying goat, and yet they form only one body.

XVI. CAPRICORNUS.(the Coot)

CAPRICORNUS. 77

That picture, which has no parallel in nature, has
a perfectly true counterpart in grace ; and " a great
multitude, which no man can number," have been
redeemed and shall obtain eternal life through the
death of their Redeemer.

It is, however, not merely the actual death which
is set before us here. The first chapter in each
book has for its great subject the Person of the
Redeemer in prophecy and promise. The last chapter
in each book has for its subject the fulfilment of that
prophecy in victory and triumph, in the Person of the
Redeemer : while the two central chapters in each book
are occupied with the work which is the accomplish-
ment of the promise, presented in two aspects — the
former connected with grace, the latter with conflict.

Thus the structure of each of the three books is
an epanodos, having for its first and last members
the Person of the Redeemer (in "A" in Prophecy;
in "A" in Fulfilment), while in the two central
members we have the work and its accomplishment
(in " B " in grace; and in li B " in conflict).

It may be thus presented to the eye : —

The First Book.

A | Virgo. The Prophecy of the Bruised Seed.
B | Libra. The work accomplished (in grace) .
B | Scorpio. The work accomplished (in conflict) .

Sagittarius. The fulfilment of the promised
victory.

78 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The Second Book.

Capricornus. The Prophecy of the Promised
Deliverance.

D Aquarius. Results of the work be-
stowed (in grace).
D Pisces. Results of the work enjoyed
(in conflict).
C I Aries. The Fulfilment of the Promised De-
j live ranee.

The Third Book,

Taurus. The Prophecy of the coming Judge
of all the earth.
F Gemini. The Redeemer's reign (Grace
and Glory).

Cancer. The Redeemer's possession
(safe from all conflict).
E J Leo. The fulfilment of the promised Triumph.

Hence in Capricornus we must look for the pro-
phecy of this Coming Sacrifice. As a matter of fact
it did actually point out the time when the Sun
of Righteousness should arise, and " the Light of
the World " appear. For when this Promised Seed
was born the Sun was actually in this sign of Cap-
ricornus ! " The fulness of time was come," and
"God sent forth His Son TO REDEEM them
that were under the Law" (Gal. iv. 4). The Sun
was really amongst those very stars — A I Gedi, the
kid1 and Deneb A I Gedi, the sacrifice cometh — when this
willing Sacrifice said, " Lo I come to do Thy will,
O God." The nights were at their darkest and

capricornus : (sagitta). 79

their longest when Jesus was born. The days began
immediately to lengthen when He, " the true light,"
had come into the world.*

Astronomers confess that the perverted legends
of the Greeks give but " a lame account" of this
sign, " and it offers no illustration of its ancient
origin"

Its ancient origin reveals a prophetic knowledge,
which only He possessed who knew that in " the
fulness of time " He would send forth His Son.

We now come to the three constellations which
give us three pictures setting forth the death of this
Sacrifice and of His living again.

§ i. SAGITTA (The Arrow).
The Arrow of God sent forth.

It is not the Arrow of Sagittarius, for that has
not left his bow. That arrow is for the enemies
of God. This is for the Son of God. It was of
this that He spoke when He said, in Ps. xxxviii. 2 :

"Thine arrows stick fast in me,
And Thy hand presseth me sore."

He was " stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted,
He was wounded for our transgressions " (Isa. liii.
4, 5). He was " pierced," when He could say
with Job, " The arrows of the Almighty are within
me " (vi. 4).

* When we come to the last chapter of this book we shall see that the
Sun was in the sign of the other sacrificial animal, Aries, at the very hour of the
Crucifixion. And Aries sets before us the victory of "the Lamb that was slain."

80 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Here the arrow is pictured to us in mid-heaven,
alone, as having been shot forth by an invisible
hand. It is seen in its flight through the heavens.
It is the arrow of God, showing that Redemption
is all of God. It was " the will of God " which
Jesus came to do. Not a mere work of mercy for
miserable sinners, but a work ordained in eternity
past, for the glory of God in eternity future.

This is the record of the Word, and this is
what is pictured for us here. The work which the
arrow accomplishes is seen in the dying Goat, and
in the falling Eagle.

There are many other stars in the heavens in
a straighter line, which would better serve for an
arrow. Why are these stars chosen ? Why is the
arrow placed here ? What explanation can be given,
except that the Revelation in the stars and in
the Book are both from the inspiration of the
same Spirit ?

There are about 18 stars, of which four are of
the 4th magnitude. Only y and 8 are in the same
line, while the shaft passes between a and 0.

The Hebrew name is Sham, destroying, or desolate,

§ 2. AQUILA (The Eagle).

The Smitten One Falling,

Here we have an additional picture of the effect
of this arrow, in the pierced, wounded, and falling
Eagle, gasping in its dying struggle. And that

capricornus: (delphinus). 8i

pierced, wounded, and dying Saviour whom it repre-
sents, after saying, in Ps. xxxviii. 2, u Thine arrows
stick fast in Me," added, in verse 10:

" My heart panteth, My strength faileth Me,
As for the light of Mine eyes it is gone from Me."

(See also Zech. xiii. 6.)

The names of the stars, all of them, bear out
this representation. The constellation contains 74
stars. The brightest of them, a (in the Eagle's
neck), is a notable star of the 1st magnitude, called
Al Tair (Arabic), the wounding. The star £ (in the
throat) is called Al Shain (Arabic), the bright, from
a Hebrew root meaning scarlet coloured, as in Josh,
ii. 18. The star y (in the back) is called Tarared,
wounded, or torn. 8 (in the lower wing) is named
Alcair, which means the piercing, and € (in the tail),
Al Okal, has the significant meaning wounded in
the heel.

How can the united testimony of these names
be explained except by acknowledging a Divine
origin ? even that of Him who afterwards foretold
of the bruising of the Virgin's Son in the written
Word; yea, of Him " who telleth the number of
the stars and giveth them all their names."

§ 3. DELPHINUS (The Dolphin).
The Dead One Rising again.

This is a bright cluster of 18 stars, five of
which are of the 3rd magnitude. It is easily dis-
tinguished by the four brightest, which are in the
head.

1 F

82 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

It is always figured as a fish full of life, and
always with the head upwards, just as the eagle
is always with the head downwards. The great
peculiar characteristic of the dolphin is its rising
up, leaping, and springing out of the sea.

When we compare this with the dying goat and
falling eagle, what conclusion can we come to but
that we have here the filling in of the picture, and
the completion of the whole truth set forth in Ca-
pricornus ?

Jesus " died and rose again." Apart from His resur-
rection His death is without result. In His conflict
with the enemy it is only His coming again in glory
which is shown forth. But here, in connection with
His people, with the multitudes of His redeemed,
Resurrection is the great and important truth. He
is " the first-fruits of them that slept " ; then He,
too, is here represented as a fish. He who went
down into the waters of death for His people ; He
who could say " All thy waves and thy billows are
gone over me" (Ps. xlii, 7), He it is who rises up
again from the dead, having died on account of the
sins of His redeemed, and risen again on account of
their justification (Rom. iv. 25).

This is the picture here. In the Persian plani-
sphere there seems to be a fish and a stream of
water. The Egyptian has a vessel pouring out
water.

The ancient names connected with this constella-
tion are Dalaph (Hebrew), pouring out of water;

capricornus : (delphinus). 83

Dalaph (Arabic), coming quickly; Scalooin (Arabic),
swift (as the flow of water); Rotaneb or Rotaneu
(Syriac and Chaldee), swiftly running.

Thus, in this first chapter of the Second Book
we see the great truth of Revelation set forth ; and
we learn how the great Blessings of Redemption
were procured. This truth cannot be more elo-
quently or powerfully presented than in the language
of Dr. Seiss : —

"This strange goat-fish, dying- in its head, but living in its
afterpart — falling- as an eagle pierced and wounded by the
arrow of death, but springing- up from the dark waves with
the matchless vigour and beauty of the dolphin — sinking under
sin's condemnation, but rising again as sin's conqueror — de-
veloping new life out of death, and heralding a new spring-
time out of December's long drear nights — was framed by no
blind chance of man. The story which it tells is the old, old
story on which hangs the only availing hope that ever came,
or ever can come, to Adam's race. To what it signifies we
are for ever shut up as the only saving faith. In that dying
Seed of the woman we must see our sin-bearer and the atone-
ment for our guilt, or die ourselves unpardoned and unsanctified.
Through His death and bloodshedding we must find our life,
or the true life, which alone is life, we never can have."

" Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid

Whate'er Thy people owed :
Nor can His wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in His righteousness,
And sprinkled with the blood.

If my discharge Thou hast procured,
And freely in my room endured

The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand.
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,

And then again at mine.

F 2

84 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Turn, then, my soul, unto Thy rest;
The merits of Thy great High* Priest

Have bought thy liberty ;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,

Since Jesus died for thee."

CHAPTER II.

The Sign AQUARIUS (The Water Bearer).

Their Blessings Ensured, or the Living Waters of
Blessing Poured Forth for the Redeemed.

The Atonement being made, the blessings have been
procured, and now they can be bestowed and poured
forth upon the Redeemed. This is the truth, whether
we think of Abel's lamb, of patriarchal sacrifices,
the offerings under the Law, or of that great Sacrifice
of which they all testified. They all with one voice
tell us that atonement made is the only foundation
of blessing.

This was pictured and foreshown in the heavens
from the beginning, by a man pouring forth water
from an urn which seems to have an inexhaustible
supply, and which flows forth downwards into the
mouth of a fish, which receives it and drinks it
all up. >

In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah it is the same
idea, though the man holds two urns, and the fish
below seems to have come out of the urn. The

AQUARIUS. 85

man is called Hupei Tirion, which means the place
of him coming down or poured forth.

In some eastern Zodiacs the Urn alone appears.

This agrees with its other names — Hebrew, Deli,
the water -urn, or bucket (as in Num. xxiv. 7) ; the
Arabic Delu is the same.

There are 108 stars in this Sign, four of which
are of the 3rd magnitude. Their names, as far as
they have come down to us, are significant.

The star a (in the right shoulder) is called Sa'ad
al Melik, which means the record of the pouring forth.

The star 3 (in the other shoulder) is called Saad
al Sund, who goeth and returneth, or the pourer out.

The bright star 8 (in the lower part of the right
leg) is well-known to-day by its Hebrew name S cheat,
which means who goeth and returneth.

The bright star in the urn has an Egyptian
name — Mon or Meon, which means simply an urn.

Aquarius is the modern Latin name by which
the sign is known. It has the same meaning, the
pourer forth of water.

Can we doubt what is the interpretation of this
sign ? The Greeks, not knowing Him of whom it
testified, were, like the woman of Samaria, destitute
of that living water which He alone can give. They
therefore invented some story about Deucalion, the
son of Prometheus ; and another, saying he is Gany-
mede, Jove's cup-bearer! But, as an astronomer
says, " We must account otherwise for the origin of
this name ; for it is not possible to reconcile the

86 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

symbols of the eleventh * sign with Grecian mytho-
logy." No! we must go further back than that,
and not cramp our vision, and distort the Scriptures,
by confining our thoughts to " the Church." The
Church is nowhere seen in these Signs, as it is
nowhere revealed in the Old Testament. This we
shall enlarge on when we come to the sign Pisces.
Meanwhile we must read the witness of the stars
as if there had been no Church!

Christ is first. Yea, He is all in all. The

Scriptures testify of Him ; and the very stars in this

Sign tell of His going away and His coming again.

These prophetic signs have to do with Him, with

the Atonement He wrought, with the conflict He

endured, with the blessings He secured, with the

victory He shall win, and the triumph He shall

have. For it is written :

" He shall pour the water out of His buckets,
And His seed shall be in many waters,
And His king shall be higher than Agag,
And His kingdom shall be exalted."

(Num. xxiv. 7.)

It tells of that glorious day when

" A King shall reign in righteousness ;
And princes shall rule in judgment;
And a MAN shall be as an hiding place

from the wind,
And a covert from the tempest ;
As RIVERS of WATER in a dry place."

(Isa. xxxii. I, 2).

* The eleventh, because everyone begins to reckon from Aries, and not as
we have done from Virgo, as shown by the riddle of the Sphinx. See page 20.

AQUARIUS. 87 9

It speaks of that glorious time when Israel shall
be restored, and their " eyes shall see the King in
His beauty " ; when the peace of Zion shall be no
more disturbed, " but there the glorious Lord will
be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams n
(Isa. xxxiii. 17, 20, 21). Then

" The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad
for them;
And the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose>
For in the wilderness shall waters break out,
And streams in the desert," (Isa. xxxv. I, 6.)

" I will open rivers in high places,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys ;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water." (Isa. xli. 18.)

" Fear not, O Jacob, My servant ;
And thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen,
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty,
And floods upon the dry ground ;
I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed,
And My blessing upon thy offspring.
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer the Lord of hosts."

(Isa. xliv. 2, 3, 6.)

This is the meaning of the Sign. The MAN
Christ Jesus, who was humbled in death will yet
be seen to be the pourer forth of every blessing.
Physically pouring forth literal waters, removing the
curse, and turning this world into a paradise :

" Making her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the Lord." (Isa. li. 3.)

And morally pouring forth His Spirit in such abund-
ance as to fill the whole earth with peace, and
blessing, and glory, " as the waters cover the sea."

88 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Upon Israel restored He, will pour out His bless-
ing. They will be sprinkled with clean water, and
possess a new heart and a new spirit (Ezek. xxxvi.
24-28; Joel ii. 28-32).

Such are some of the Scriptures which tell of
this glorious Water-pourer. We need not rob Christ
of His glory, or Israel of her blessing, in order to
see in all this Pentecost or the Church. These
are quite independent of the great line of prophetic
truth. They are parenthetical, and distinct, and
true, quite apart from the glorious prophecies of
Israel's scattering and gathering. The physical
marvels referred to in the texts above can never
be satisfied or exhausted by any spiritual fulfilment.
We may make an application of them as far as is
consistent with the teaching of the epistles ; but the
interpretation of them belongs to the Person of Christ,
and the nation of Israel. That interpretation is
pictured for us in the Sign, and in its three con-
stellations.

§ 1. PISCIS AUSTRALIS (The Southern Fish).

The Blessings Bestowed.

This first constellation is one of high antiquity,*
and its brilliant star of the first magnitude was
a subject of great study by the Egyptians and
Ethiopians. It is named in Arabic Fom at Hauty
the mouth of the fish. There are 22 other stars.

* And in great contrast with several modern ones near it, e.g., th.2 Balloon,
the Sculptor's Apparatus, the Microscope, Euclid's Square, the Telescope, etc., -tc.

AQUARIUS: (PEGASUS). 89

The constellation is inseparable from Aquarius,
in connection with which we have shown it in
Plate XVIII. In the Denderah Zodiac it is called
Aar, a stream.

It sets forth the simple truth that the blessings
procured by the MAN — the coming Seed of the
woman, will be surely bestowed and received by
those for whom they are intended. There will be
no failure in their communication, or in their recep-
tion. What has been purchased shall be secured
and possessed.

§ 2. PEGASUS (The Winged Horse).

The Blessings Quickly Coming.

Not only shall they be received, but they shall
be brought near. They will not have to be fetched,
but they will be caused to come to those for whom
they are procured, and will yet be brought by Him
who has procured them.

In the Denderah Zodiac there are two characters
immediately below the horse, Pe and ka. Peka or
Pega, is in Hebrew the chief, and Sus is horse. So
that the very word {Pegasus) has come down to us
and has been preserved through all the languages.

The names of the stars in this constellation de-
clare to us its meaning. There are 89 altogether ;
one of the 1st magnitude, two of the 2nd, three of
the 3rd, nine of the 4th, etc. And, as astronomers
testify, "they render Pegasus peculiarly remarkable."

go THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The brightest, a (on the neck of the horse at
the junction of the wing), comes down to us with
the ancient Hebrew name of Markab, which means
returning from afar. The star 0 (in the near shoulder)
is called Scheat, i.e., who goeth and retumeth. The
star y (at the tip of the wing) bears an Arabic
name — A I Genib, who carries. The star € (in the
nostril) is called Enif (Arabic), the water. The star
1% (in the near leg) is called Matar (Arabic), who
causes to overflow.

These names show us that we have to do with
no mere horse. A winged horse is unknown to
nature. It must therefore be used as a figure ; and
it can be a figure only of a person, even of Him
who is uthe Branch" as the star Enif shows, who
said, "If I go away I will come again," as the star
Scheat testifies.

He who procured these blessings for the re-
deemed by His Atonement, is quickly coming to bring
them ; and is soon returning to pour them forth upon
a groaning creation. This is the lesson of Pegasus.

" Come, blessed Lord, bid every shore
And answering- island sing
The praises of Thy royal Name,
And own Thee as their King.

Lord, Lord ! Thy fair creation groans —

The earth, the air, the sea —
In unison with all our hearts,

And calls aloud for Thee.

Thine was the Cross with all its fruits

Of grace and peace divine :
Be Thine the Crown of glory now,

The palm of victory Thine."

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AQUARIUS: (CYGNUS). 0,1

§ 3. CYGNUS (The Swan),
The Blesser surely Returning.

This constellation repeats, emphasises, and affirms
this glorious truth. It has to do with the Great
Blesser and His speedy return, as is testified by
all the ancient names connected with it.

In the Denderah Zodiac it is named Tes-arkf
which means this from afar.

It is a most brilliant and gorgeous asterism of
81 stars ; one of the ist or 2nd, six of the 3rd,
twelve of the 4th magnitude, etc. It contains variable
stars, five double stars, and one quadruple. The
star marked " 61 Cygni " is known as one of the
most wonderful in the whole heavens. It consists
of two stars which revolve about each other, and
yet have a progressive motion , common to each !

This mighty bird is not falling dead, like Aquila,.
but it is flying swiftly in mid-heaven. It is coming
to the earth, for it is not so much a bird of the
air, but a bird peculiarly belonging to both the
earth and the waters.

Its brightest star, a (between the body and the
tail), is called Deneb (like another in Capricornus) r
and means the judge. It is also called Adige, flying
swiftly, and thus at once it is connected with Him
who cometh to judge the earth in righteousness.

The star 0 (in the beak) is named A I Bireo
(Arabic), flying quickly.

The star y (in the body) is called Sadr (Hebrew) f
who returns as in a circle.

92 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The two stars in the tail, now marked in the
maps as t i and v 2, are named Azely who goes
and returns quickly ; and Fafage, gloriously shining
forth.

The teaching, then, of the whole sign of Aquarius
is clear and complete. The names of the stars explain
the constellations, and the names of the constella-
tions explain the sign, so that we are left in no
doubt.

By His atoning death (as set forth in Capri-

cornus) He has purchased and procured unspeakable

blessings for His redeemed. This sign (Aquarius)

tells of those blessings being poured forth, and of

the speedy return of Him who is to bring " rivers

of blessing/' and to fill this earth with blessing

and glory " as the waters cover the sea."

" Then take, Lord, thy kingdom, and come in Thy glory ;
Make the scene of Thy sorrows the place of Thy
throne,
Complete all the blessing which ages in story
Have told of the triumphs so justly Thine own."

CHAPTER III.

The Sign PISCES (The Fishes).

The Blessings of the Redeemed in abeyance.

In this third chapter of the Second Book we come
to the results of the Redeemer's work enjoyed, but
in connection with conflict, as is seen in the last

pisces. 93

of the three sections (the constellation of Andromeda,
the chained woman), which leads up to the last chapter
of the book, and ends it in triumph over every
enemy.

The Sign is pictured as two large fishes bound
together by a Band, the ends of which are fastened
separately to their tails. One fish is represented
with its head pointing upwards towards the North
Polar Star, the other is shown at right angles,
swimming along the line of the ecliptic, or path of
the sun.

The ancient Egyptian name, as shown on the
Denderah Zodiac, is Pi-cot Orion, or Pisces HoriT
which means the fishes of Him that cometh.

The Hebrew name is Dagim, the Fishes, which is
closely connected with multitudes, as in Gen. xlviii. |6,
where Jacob blesses Joseph's sons, and says, " Let
them grow into a multitude in the midst of the
earth." The margin says, " Let them grow as fishes
do increase" It refers to the fulfilment of Gen. i. 28,
41 Be fruitful and multiply.'* The multitude of Abra-
ham's seed is prominent in the pronouncement of
the blessings, where God compared his future pos-
terity to the stars of the sky, and the sand upon
the sea shore. " A very great multitude of fish,"
as in Ezek. xlvii. 9.

The Syriac name is Nuno, the fish, lengthened out
(as in posterity).

The sign, then, speaks of the multitudes who
should enjoy the blessings of the Redeemer's work.

■94 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

And here we must maintain that " the Church,"
which is " the Body of Christ," was a subject
that was never revealed to man. until it was made
known to the Apostle Paul by a special revelation.
The Holy Spirit declares r (Rom. xvi. 25) that it
44 was kept secret since the world began." In
Eph. iii. 9 he declares that it " from the beginning of
the world hath been hid in God " ; and in Col. i. 26,
that it " hath been hid from ages and from genera-
tions, but now is made manifest to His saints." In
each scripture which speaks of it as " now made
manifest," or "now made known," it is distinctly
stated that it was " a mystery," i.e., a secret, and
had, up to that moment, been hidden from man-
kind, hidden " in God." How, then, we ask, can
41 the Church," which was a subsequent revelation, be
read into the previous prophecies, whether written
in the Old Testament Scriptures, or made known in
the Heavens ? If the Church was revealed in pro-
phecy, then it could not have been said to be hidden
•or kept secret. If the first revelation of it was
made known to Paul, as he distinctly affirms it was,
then it could not have been revealed before. Unless
Ave see this very clearly, we cannot " rightly divide
the word of truth" (2 Tim. ii. 15). And if we do
not rightly divide the word of truth, in its subjects,
and times, and dispensations, we must inevitably be
landed in confusion and darkness, interpreting of the
Church, scriptures which belong only to Israel.

The Church, or Body of Christ, is totally dis-
tinct from every class of persons who are made the

pisces. 9=;

subject of prophecy. Not that the Church of God
was an after- thought. No, it was a Divine secret,
kept as only God Himself could keep it. The Bible
therefore would have been complete (so far as the
Old Testament prophecies are concerned) if the
Epistles (which belong only to the Church) were
taken out. The Old Testament would then give us
the kingdom prophesied ; the Gospels and Acts, the
King and the kingdom offered and rejected ; then
the Apocalypse would follow, showing how that pro-
mised kingdom will yet be set up with Divine judg-
ment, power, and glory.

If these Signs and these star-pictures be the
results of inspired patriarchs, then this- Sign of Pisces
can refer to " His seed," prophesied of in Isa. liii. :
" He shall see His seed." It must refer to

" The nation whose God is the Lord,
And the people whom He hath chosen for His own
inheritance." (Ps. xxxiii. 12.)

" Such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth."

(Ps. xxxvii. 22.)

" The Lord shall increase you more and more,
You and your children,
Ye are blessed of the Lord." (Ps. cxv. 14, 15.)

41 Their seed shall be known among- the Gentiles.
And their offspring- among- the people ;
All that see them shall acknowledg-e them,
That they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed."

(Isa. lxi. 9.)

u They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord,
And their offspring- with them." (Isa. lxv. 23.)

0,6 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The prophecy of this Sign was afterwards written
in the words of Isa. xxvi. 15 — the song which shall
yet be sung in the land of Judah :

" Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord,
Thou hast increased the nation."

And in Isa. ix. 3 (r.v.), speaking of the glorious time
when the government shall be upon the shoulder of
the coming King:

" Thou hast multiplied the nation,
Thou hast increased their joy."

Of that longed-for day Jeremiah sings (xxx. 19) ;

" I will multiply them
And they shall not be few;
I will also glorify them,
And they shall not be small."

Ezekiel also is inspired to say:

" I will multiply men upon you,
All the house of Israel, even all of it;
And the cities shall be inhabited,
And the wastes shall be builded ;
And I will multiply upon you man and beast,
And they shall increase and bring fruit."

(Ezek. xxxvi. 10, 1 1.)

"Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them;
It shall be an everlasting covenant with them !
And I will place them, and multiply them,
And will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for
evermore." (Ezek. xxxvii. 26.)

Indeed, this Sign of Pisces has always been inter-
preted of Israel. Both Jews and Gentiles have
agreed in this. Abarbanel, a Jewish commentator,
writing on Daniel, affirms that the Sign Pisces always
refers to the people of Israel. He gives frre reasons

pisces. 97

for this belief, and also affirms that a conjunction
of the planets Jupiter and Saturn always betokens
a crisis in the affairs of Israel. Because such a
conjunction took place in his day (about 1480 a.d.)
he looked for the coming of Messiah.*

Certain it is, that when the sun is in Pisces all
the constellations which are considered noxious, are
seen above the horizon. What is true in astronomical
observation is true also in historical fact. When
God's favour is shown to Israel, " the Jew's enemy"
puts forth his malignant powers. When they increased
and multiplied in Egypt, he endeavoured to compass
the destruction of the nation by destroying the male
children ; but their great Deliverer remembered His
covenant, defeated ,the designs of the enemy, and
brought the counsel of the heathen to nought. So
it was in Persia ; and so it will yet be again when
the hour of Israel's final deliverance has come.

There can be no doubt that we have in this
Sign the foreshowing of the multiplication and bless-
ing of the children of promise, and a token of their
coming deliverance from all the power of the enemy.

But why two fishes ? and why is one horizontal
and the other perpendicular ? The answer is, that
not only in Israel, but in the seed of Seth. and Shem
there were always those who looked for a heavenly
portion, and were " partakers of a heavenly calling.'*
In Heb. xi. we are distinctly told that Abraham

* How inconsistent when there were three such conjunctions in one year, all
in the same sign of Pisces, immediately preceding the birth of the woman's Seed ;
and in addition to this the new star which had been foretold. See under Coma,
Pages 36, 37, 38.

98 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

" looked for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God" (v. io). They were
" strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (v. 13).
Strangers are those without a home, and pilgrims
are those who are journeying home : " they seek a
country" (v. 14). They desired "a better country,
that is, an HEAVENLY : wherefore God is not
ashamed * to be called their God ; for He hath
prepared for them a city" {v. 16). It is clear,
therefore, that what are called the " Old Testament
Saints" were " partakers of the heavenly calling"
(Heb. iii. 1), which included a heavenly portion and
a heavenly home ; and all through the ages there
have been " partakers of the heavenly calling." This
is quite distinct from the calling of the Church,
which is from both Jews and Gentiles to form " one
body," a "new man" in Christ (Eph. ii. 15). It
must be distinct, for it is expressly stated at the
end of that chapter (Heb. xi. 40) that God has
" provided (marg. foreseen) some better thing for
us." How can this be a " better thing," .if it is the
same thing? There must be two separate things if
one is "better" than the other! Our calling in
Christ is the "better thing." The Old Testament
saints had, and will have, a good thing. They will
have a heavenly blessing, and a heavenly portion,
for God has " prepared for them a city," and
we see that prepared city, even " the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven,

* The figure of Tapeinosis, which calls our attention to that fact that He was
delighted thus to be called.

pisces. 99

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband "
(Rev. xxi. 2). This is the " heavenly" portion of the
Old Testament saints, the Bride of Christ. The Church
will have a still " better " portion, for " they without
us should not be made perfect " (Heb. xi. 40).

The fish, shooting upwards to the Polar Star,
exquisitely pictures this " heavenly calling" ; while the
other fish, keeping on the horizontal line, answers to
those who were content with an earthly portion.

But both alike were divinely called, and chosen,

and upheld. The names of two of the stars in the

sign (not identified) are Okda (Hebrew), the united ,

and A I Samaca (Arabic), the upheld* These again

speak of the redeemed seed, of whom, and to whom,

Jehovah speaks in that coming day of glory in

Isa. xli. 8-10 (r.v.) : —

" But thou, Israel, My servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
The seed of Abraham My friend ;
Thou whom I have taken hold of from the ends

of the earth,
And called thee from the corners thereof,
And said unto thee, Thou art My servant;
I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away;
Fear thou not, for I am with thee;
Be not dismayed, for I am thy God!
I will strengthen thee;
Yea, I will help thee ;
Yea, I will UPHOLD thee with the right hand

of My righteousness."

This is the teaching of the Sign ; and the first
constellation takes up this thought and emphasises it.

* There are 113 stars in this sign, none of any great importance; only one of
the 3rd magnitude, five of the 4th, etc

G 2

IOO THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

§ i. THE BAND.

The Redeemed Bound, but binding their Enemy.

The band that unites these two fishes has always
formed a separate constellation. It is shown in
Plate XXI. The Arabian poems of Antarah fre-
quently mention it as distinct from the Sign with
which it is so closely connected. Antarah was an
Arabian poet of the sixth century.

Its ancient Egyptian name was U-or, which means
He cometh. Its Arabic name is A I Risha, the band, or
bridle.

It speaks of the Coming One, not in His relation
to Himself, or to His enemies, but in His relation to
the Redeemed. It speaks of Him who says 1

" I drew them with cords of a man,
With bands of love ;
And I was to them as they that take off the yoke

on their jaws." (Hosea xi. 4, r.v.)

But it speaks also of His unloosing the bands with
which they have been so long bound.

In the picture these fishes are bound. One end
of the band is fastened securely round the tail of one
fish, and it is the same with the other. Moreover,
this band is fastened to the neck of Cetus, the sea
monster, while immediately above is seen a woman
chained as a captive. These both tell the same
story, and, indeed, all are required to set forth the
whole truth. The fishes are bound to Cetus; the
woman {Andromeda) is chained ; but the Deliverer of

XXII ANDROMEDA * p--

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Perseus

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Caput Medusa

pisces: (andromeda). ioi

both is near. Cepheus, the Crowned King, the Re-
deemer, " the Breaker," the Branch, is seen coming
quickly for the deliverance of His redeemed. These
are the three constellations of this sign, and all three
are required to set forth the story.

Israel now is bound. The great enemy still
oppresses, but deliverance is sure. Aries, the Ram,
is seen with his paws on this band, as though about
to loosen the bands and set the captives free, and to
fast bind their great oppressor.

§2. ANDROMEDA (The Chained Woman).

The Redeemed in their Bondage and Affliction.

This is a peculiar picture to set in the heavens.
A woman with chains fastened to her feet and arms,
in misery and trouble ; and bound, helpless, to the
sky. Yet this is the ancient foreshowing of the

truth.

In the Denderah Zodiac her name is Set, which
means set, set up as a queen. In Hebrew it is Sirra,
the chained, and Persea, the stretched out.

There are 63 stars in this constellation, three of
which are of the 2nd magnitude, two of the 3rd,
twelve of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in the head), is called A I
Phiratz (Arabic), the broken down. The star j3 (in the
body) is called Mirach (Hebrew), the weak. The star y
(in the left foot) is called A I Maach, or A I Amak
(Arabic), struck down.

102 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The names of other stars, not identified, are
Adhil, the afflicted; Mizar, the weak ; A I Mara (Arabic),
the afflicted. Aratus speaks of Desma, which means
the bound, and says —

" Her feet point to her bridegroom
Perseus, on whose shoulder they rest."

Thus, with one voice, the stars of Andromeda
speak to us of the captive daughter of Zion. And
her coming Deliverer thus addresses her: —

" O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, ... in righteousness shalt thou be established :
Thou shalt be far from oppression ; for thou shalt not fear :
And from terror; for it shall not come nigh thee."

(Isa. liv. 11-14.)
" Hear now this, thou afflicted. . . .
Awake, awake ; put on thy strength, O Zion ;
Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem. # . .
Shake thyself from the dust;
Arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem :
Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive

daughter of Zion.
For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves

for nought;
And ye shall be redeemed without money."

(Isa. li. 21 — lii. 3.)

" The virgin daughter of My people is broken with a
great breach, with a very grievous blow" (Jer. xiv. 17).

The picture which sets forth her deliverance is
reserved for the next chapter (or Sign), where it
comes in its proper place and order. We are first
shown her glorious Deliverer ; for we never, in the
heavens or in the Word, have a reference to the
sufferings without an immediate reference to the glory.

XXIII
^ CEPHEUS

URu<cai,a (^e Crowned Kinq)

PISCES: (CEPHEUS). IO3

§3. CEPHEUS (The King).
Their Redeemer Coming to Rule,

Here we have the presentation of a glorious king,
crowned, and enthroned in the highest heaven, with
a sceptre in his hand, and his foot planted on the
very Polar Star itself.

His name in the Denderah Zodiac is Pe-ku-hor,
which means this one cometh to rule.

The Greek name by which he is now known,
Cepheus, is from the Hebrew, and means the branch,
and is called by Euripides the king.

An old Ethiopian name was Hyk, a king.

There are 35 stars, viz., three of the 3rd magni-
tude, seven of the 4th, etc. .

The brightest star, a (in the right shoulder), is called
A I Deramin, which means coming quickly. The next,
0 (in the girdle), is named A I Phirk (Arabic), the
Redeemer. The next, y (in the left knee), is called
A I Rai, which means who bruises or breaks.

It is impossible to mistake the truth which these
names teach. The Greeks, though they had lost it,
yet preserved a trace of it, even in their perversion of
it; for they held that Cepheus was the father of An-
dromeda, and that Perseus was her husband.

Yes ; this is the glorious King of Israel, the
" King of kings, and Lord of lords." It is He who
calls Israel His " son," and will yet manifest it to
all the world.

104 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

In Jer. xxxi., after speaking of Israel's restoration,
Jehovah says (v. i) : —

"At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God
of all the families of Israel,
And they shall be My people. . • •
For I am a father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My firstborn " (v. 9).

As He said to Moses : " Thus saith the Lord, Israel
is my son, even my firstborn" (Exod. iv. 22).

Here is the foundation of Israel's blessing. True,
it is now in abeyance, but " the Lord reigneth," and
will in due time make good His Word, for

"The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever.
The thoughts of His heart to all generations.'*

(Ps. xxxiii. II.)

This leads us up to the last chapter of the Second
Book, which shows us the fulfilment of all the pro-
phecies concerning the Redeemed and the sure foun-
dation on which their great hope of glory is based.

CHAPTER IV.

The Sign ARIES (The Ram or Lamb).

The Blessings of the Redeemed Consummated and

Enjoyed.

This Second Book began with the Goat dying in
sacrifice, and it ends with the Lamb living again,
" as it had been slain." The goat had the tail of a
fish, indicating that his death was for a multitude of

ARIES. IO5

the redeemed. In the two middle Signs we have
had these fishes presented to us in grace, and in
their conflict. We come now to the last chapter
of the book: and, as we have seen, like each of the
other books, it ends up with victory and triumph.
Here we are first shown the foundation on which
that victory rests, namely, Atonement. Hence we are
taken back and reminded of the " blood of the Lamb."

This is pictured by a ram, or lamb, full of vigour
and life; not falling in death as Capricornus is.

In the Denderah Zodiac its name is Tametouris
Ammon, which means the reign, dominion, or govern-
ment of Ammon. The lamb's head is without horns,
and is crowned with a circle.

The Hebrew name is Taleh, the lamb. The Arabic
name is A I Hamal, the sheep, gentle, merciful. This
name has been mistakenly given by some to the
principal star, a. The Syriac name is Amroo, as in
the Syriac New Testament in John i. 29 : " Behold
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the
world." The ancient Akkadian name was Bar a-
ziggar. Bar means altar , or sacrifice ; and ziggar means
right making; so that the full name would be the
sacrifice of righteousness.

There are 66 stars in this sign, one being of the
2nd magnitude, two of the 4th, etc.

Its chief star, a (in the forehead), is named El

Nath* or El Natik, which means wounded, slain.

-The next, 0 (in the left horn), is called A I Sheratan,

* <«

El Nath " is used by Chaucer as the name of a spring s'ar.

I06 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

the bruised, the wounded. The next, y (near to j3), is
called Mesartim (Hebrew), the bound.

How is it there is no conflicting voice ? How is it
that all the stars unite in one harmonious voice in
testifying of the Lamb of God, slain, and bruised,
but yet living for evermore, singing together, " Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and
glory, and blessing " (Rev. v. 12)?

This rejoicing connected with the Lamb shines
faintly through the heathen perversions and myths :
for Herodotus tells us how the ancient Egyptians,
once a year, when it opened by the entrance of the
sun into Aries,* slew a Ram, at the festival of Jupiter
Ammon ; branches were placed over the doors, the
Ram was garlanded with wreaths of flowers and carried
in procession. Now the sun entered Aries, on the
14th of the Jewish month Nisan, and another lamb
was then ordered to be slain, even " the Lord's pass-
over " — the type of that Lamb that should in the
fulness of time be offered without blemish and with-
out spot. Owing to the precession of the equinoxes,
the sun, at the time of the Exodus, had receded into
this sign of Aries, which then marked the Spring
Equinox. But by the time that the antitype — the
Lamb of God, was slain, the sun had still further
receded, and on the 14th of Nisan, in the year of
the Crucifixion, stood at the very spot marked by
the stars a, El Nath, the pierced, the wounded or slain,

* Taurus then marked the Spring Equinox.

aries : (cassiopeia). 107

and 3, At Sheraton, the bruised or wounded! God so-
ordained " the times and seasons " that during that
noon-day darkness the sun was seen near those stars
which had spoken for so many centuries of this
bruising of the woman's Seed — the Lamb of God.

Was this design ? or was it chance ? It is far
easier to believe the former. It makes a smaller
demand upon our faith ; yes, we are compelled to*
believe that He who created the sun and the stars
" for signs and for cycles," ordained also the times
and the seasons, and it is He who tells us that

" WHEN THE FULNESS OF TIME WAS COME, God Sent

forth His Son" (Gal. iv. 4), and that " in due time
Christ died for the ungodly " (Rom. v. 6).

§ I. CASSIOPEIA (The Enthroned Woman).

The Captive Delivered, and Preparing for her
Husband, the Redeemer,

In the last chapter we saw the woman bound; here-
we see the same woman freed, delivered, and en-
throned.

Ulugh Bey says its Arabic name is El Seder*
which means the freed.

In the Denderah Zodiac her name is Set, which
means set, set up as Queen. Albumazer says this
constellation was anciently called " the daughter of
splendour." This appears to be the meaning of the
word Cassiopeia, the enthroned, the beautiful. The
Arabic name is Ruchba, the enthroned. This is also-
the meaning of its Chaldee name, Dat al cursa.

108 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

There are 55 stars in this constellation, of which
five are of the 3rd magnitude, five of the 4th, etc.

This beautiful constellation passes vertically over
Great Britain every day, and is easily distinguished
by its five brightest stars, forming an irregular W.

This brilliant constellation contains one binary
star, a triple star, a double star, a quadruple star,
and a large number of nebulae.

In the year 1572 Tycho Brahe discovered in this
constellation, and very near the star k (under the arm
of the chair), a new star, which shone more brightly
than Venus. It was observed for nearly two years,
and disappeared entirely in 1574.

The brightest star, a (in the left breast), is named
Schedir (Hebrew), which means the freed. The next,
0 (in the top of the chair), likewise bears a Hebrew
name — Caph, which means the branch; it is evidently
given on account of the branch of victory which she
bears in her hand.

She is indeed highly exalted, and making herself
ready. Her hands, no longer bound, are engaged
in this happy work. With her right hand she is
arranging her robes, while with her left she is adorn-
ing her hair. She is seated upon the Arctic circle,
and close by the side of Cepheus, the King.

This is " the Bride, the Lamb's wife, the heavenly
city, the new Jerusalem, " the " partakers of the hea-
venly calling."

X XV.

CA S S 1 0 P E I A.fthe enthroned Woman )

aries : (Cassiopeia). 109

He who has redeemed her is " the Lamb that was
slain," and He addresses her thus-:

" Thy Maker is thine husband ;
The Lord of Hosts is His name ;
And the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer;
The God of the whole earth shall He be called.
For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken

and grieved in spirit,
Even a wife of youth when she is cast off, saith thy

God.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee;
But with great mercies will I gather thee.
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a

moment ;
But with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on

thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer."

(Isa. liv. 5-8, r.v.)

" Thou shalt be a crown of beauty in the hand of the

Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of thy God,
Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken ;
Neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate ;
But thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah (i.e., my delight is

in her),
And thy land Beulah (i.e., married) ;
For the Lord delighteth in thee,
And thy land shall be married.
For as a young man marrieth a virgin,
So shall thy sons (Heb. thy Restorer) marry thee :
And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride,
So shall thy God rejoice over thee."

(Isa. lxii. 3-5, r.v.)

" The Lord hath appeared of old (or from afar) unto

me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O

Virgin of Israel

£10 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

He that scattered Israel will gather him,
And keep him as a shepherd doth his flock,
For the Lord hath ransomed Jacob,
And redeemed him from the hand of him that was
stronger than he." (Jer. xxxi. 3-12, r.v.)

Can we close our eyes to the testimony of these
scriptures— that Israel is the Bride of the Lamb ?
When we have all these, and more, why should we
read " the Church " into these ancient prophecies,
which was the subject of a long - subsequent revela-
tion, merely because (in Eph. v. 25) Christ's love to
His Church is compared to a husband's love for his
wife ? " Husbands, love your wives, even AS Christ
also loved the Church. " There is not a word here
about the Church being His wife. On the contrary,
it reveals the secret that the Church of Christ is to
be the mystical " Body of Christ," part of the Husband
in fact, " One new man" (Eph. ii. 15)! whereas
restored Israel is to be the Bride of this " New Man,"
the Bride of Christ, the Lamb's wife ! Blessed
indeed it is to be united to Christ as a wife to a
husband, but glorious beyond all description to be
"one" with Christ Himself, part of His mystical
Body.

If men had only realised the wondrous glory
of this mystery, they would never have so wrongly
divided the Word of Truth by interpreting Psalm xlv.
of this Mystical Christ. If we " rightly divide " it,
we see at once that this Psalm is in harmony with
all the Old Testament scriptures, which must be
interpreted alike, and can be interpreted only of
Israel however they may be applied.

aries : (cassiopeia). hi

Having spoken of the Godhead and glory of this

King (faintly and in part foreshown by Cepheus), the

Holy Spirit goes on in the latter part of the Psalm

to speak of the Bride — the Queen :

"At Thy right hand doth stand the Queen in gold of
Ophir,
Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear;
Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house ;
So shall the King desire thy beauty;0
For He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him. . . *
The King's daughter within the palace is all glorious ;
Her clothing is inwrought with gold,
She shall be led unto the King in broidered work;
The virgins her companions f that follow her shall be
brought unto thee/' etc. (Ps. xlv. 9-17, R.V.)

Then shall she sing her Magnificat :

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;

For He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
And as the garden causeth the things that are sown in

it to spring forth ;
So the Lord God [Adonai Jehovah] will cause righte-
ousness and praise to spring forth before all the
nations." (Isa. lxi. 10, II.)

* " Thy beauty ; for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I put upon thee
(Jerusalem), saith the Lord" (Ezek. xvi. 14).

f Those who interpret the Queen here of the Church as the Bride, interpret the
"Virgins" in Matt. xxv. of the Bride also. But how inconsistent! If the
" Virgins " be the Church in Matt, xxv., then where is the Bride? If the Queen
is the Bride (the Church) iu Ps. xlv., then who are the "virgins her companions"?
Both cannot be the correct interpretation. Irl fact, both are wrong, and hence the
confusion. The Bride must be interpreted by the Old Testament scriptures, and
the Prophecies which belong to Israel must not be robbed and given to the Church.
They cannot be thus diverted without bringing confusion into the Scripture, and
causing loss to our souls.

112 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

This, then, is the truth set forth by this enthroned
woman. The blessing founded on Atonement, and
the Redemption wrought by the Lamb that was slain,
result in a glorious answer to Israel's prayer, " Turn
our captivity, O Lord " (Ps. cxxvi. 4) : when they
that have " sown in tears shall reap in joy," and
the Lord shall loosen her bonds, and place her
enthroned by His side.

This, however, involves the destruction of her
enemy, and this is what we see in the next section.

§ 2. CETUS (The Sea Monster).

The Great Enemy Bound.

When John sees the New Jerusalem, the Bride,
the Lamb's wife (Rev. xxi. 10, 2), Satan has been
bound already : for we read, a few verses before
(xx. 1-3) : " I saw an angel come down from heaven,
having the key of the bottomless pit and a great
chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon,
that Old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan,
and bound him [and kept him bound] a thousand
years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thou-
sand years should be fulfilled. "

This is what we see in the second section of this
chapter — the second constellation in Aries.

The picture is that of a great Sea-monster, the
largest of all the constellations. It is the natural

ARIES : (CETUS). II 3

enemy of fishes, hence it is placed here in connec-
tion with this last chapter, in which fishes are so
prominent.

It is situated very low down among the constel-
lations— far away towards the south or lower regions
of the sky.

Its name in the Denderah Zodiac is Kneni, which
means subdued. It is pictured as a monstrous head,
trodden under foot by the swine, the natural enemy
of the serpent. The hawk also (another enemy of
the serpent) is over this figure, crowned with a mortar,
denoting bruising.

It consists of 97 stars, of which two are of the
2nd magnitude, eight of the 3rd, nine of the 4th, etc.

The names of the stars interpret for us infallibly
the meaning of the picture.

The brightest star, a (in the upper mandible), is
named Menkar, and means the bound or chained enemy.
The next, j3 (in the tail), is called Diphda, or Deneb
Kaitos, overthrown, or thrust down. The star 0 (in the
neck) is named Mira, which means THE REBEL.
Its name is ominous, for the star is one of the most
remarkable. It is very bright, but it was not till
1596 that it was discovered to be variable. It dis-
appears periodically seven times in six years ! It
continues at its brightest for fifteen days together.
M. Bade says that during 334 days it shines with its
greatest light, then it diminishes, till it entirely dis-
appears for some time (to the naked eye). In fact,
during that period it passes through several degrees

114 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

of magnitude, both increasing and diminishing. In-
deed its variableness is so great as to make it appear
unsteady !

Here, then, is the picture of the Great Rebel as
shown in the heavens. What is it, as written in the
Word ?

The Almighty asks man : —

" Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a fish hook ?
Or press down his tongue with a cord ?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose ?
Or pierce his jaw through with a hook ? . . . .
Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him ?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up."

(Job xli. i-io, r.v.)

But he whom man cannot bind can be bound by
the Lamb, and He is seen with " the Band" that has
bound the fishes, now in His hands, which he has
fastened with a bright star to his neck, saying, —

"Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of

trembling-,
Even the dregs of the cup of My fury;
Thou shalt no more drink it again,
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict

thee." (Isa. li. 22, 23.)

" Behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their in-
iquity ....
In that day the Lord, with His sore, and great, and

strong" sword,
Shall punish Leviathan, the piercing serpent,
And Leviathan, the crooked serpent ;
And He shall slay -the dragon that is in the sea."

(Isa. xxvi. 21 — xxvii. 1.)

ARIES. (PERSEUS). 115

" For God is my king of old,
Working- salvation in the midst of the earth.
Thou didst divide (marg. Heb.y break) the sea by Thy

strength,
Thou brakest the heads of the dragons- (r. v. marg.,

sea monsters) in the waters.
Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces."

(Ps. lxxiv. 12-14.)

• And this Second Book closes by revealing to us
this glorious " Breaker."

§ 3. PERSEUS. ("The Breaker.")
11 The Breaker " delivering His Redeemed.

Here we have set before us a mighty man, called

in the Hebrew Peretz, from which we have the Greek

form Perses, or Perseus (Rom. xvi. 13). It is the same

word which is used of Christ in Micah ii. 13. When

He shall surely "gather the remnant of Israel " {v. 12),

it is written —

"THE BREAKER is gone up before them ....
Their King is passed on before them,
And the Lord at the head of them."

This is what is pictured to us here. We see a

glorious "Breaker" taking His place before His

redeemed, breaking forth at their head, breaking down

all barriers, and breaking the heads of Leviathan and

all his hosts. In His right hand He has His " sore,

and great, and strong sword " lifted up to smite and

break down the enemy. He has wings on His feet,

which tell us that He is coming very swiftly. In His

left hand He carries the head of the enemy, whom he

has slain.

H 2

Il6 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

In the Denderah Zodiac His name is Kar Knem,
he who fights and subdues.

It is a beautiful constellation of 59 stars, two of
which are of the 2nd magnitude, four of the 3rd, twelve
of the 4th, etc.

Their names supply us with the key to the inter-
pretation of the picture.

The star a (in the waist) is called Mirfak, who helps.
The next, y (in the right shoulder), is named A I Genib,
which means who carries away. The bright star in the
left foot is called Athik, who breaks!

In his left hand he carries a head, which, by per-
version, the Greeks called the head of Medusa, being
ignorant that its Hebrew root meant the trodden under
foot* It is also called Rosh Satan (Hebrew), the head
of the adversary, and A I Oneh (Arabic), the subdued, or
A I Ghoul, the evil spirit.

The bright star, 0 (in this head), has come down
to us with the name A I Gol, which means rolling round.

It is a most remarkable phenomenon that so many
of these enemies should be characterised by variable
stars ! But this head of Medusa, like the neck of
Cetus, has one. A I Gol is continually changing. In
about 69 hours it changes from the 4th magnitude to
the 2nd. During four hours of this period it gradually
diminishes in brightness, which it recovers in the suc-
ceeding four hours ; and in the remaining part of the
time invariably preserves its greatest lustre. After

* See Job xxxix. 14, 15, where it is said, the ostrich "leaveth her eggs in the
dust, forgetting that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them."

ARIES : (PERSEUS). llj

the expiration of this time its brightness begins to
decrease again. Fit emblem of our great enemy, who,
11 like a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may
devour " (i Pet. v. 8.) ; then changing into a subtle
serpent (Gen. iii. 8.) ; then changing again into " an
angel of light" (2 Cor. xi. 14.). "Transforming him-
self" continually, to devour, deceive, and destroy.

This brings us to the conclusion of the Second
Book, in which we have seen the Redeemed blessed
with all blessings, delivered out of all conflict, saved
from all enemies. We have seen their Redeemer,
" the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,"
" the Conqueror," " the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords."

This is the Revelation recorded in the heavens.
This is the prophetic testimony inspired in the Book.
And this is the heart-cry prompted by both : —

•' Come, Lord, and tarry not,
Bring the long-looked-for day;
Oh, why these years of waiting- here,
These ages of delay?

Come, for Thy saints still wait ;
Daily ascends their cry:
'The Spirit and the Bride say. Come';
Dost Thou not hear their cry?

Come, tor creation groans,
Impatient of Thy stay;
Worn out with these long years of ill,
These ages of delay.

Come, for Thine Israel pines,
An exile from Thy fold ;
Oh, call to mind Thy faithful word,
And bless them as of old.

Il8 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Come, for Thy foes are strong" ;
With taunting" lips they say,
•Where is the promised advent now,
And where the dreaded day?'

Come, for the good are few;
They lift the voice in vain ;
Faith waxes fainter on the earth,
And love is on the wane.

Come, in Thy glorious might ;
Come, with Thine iron rod ;
Disperse Thy foes before Thy face,
Most mighty Son of God.

Come, and make all things new,
Build up this ruined earth ;
Restore our faded paradise,
Creation's second birth.

Come, and begin Thy reign

Of everlasting peace ;

Come, take the kingdom to Thyself,

Great King of Righteousness."

Dr, Horaiius Bonar.

THE REDEEMER, 1 19

TTfce ftbirfc BooFu

THE REDEEMER.

His Second Coming.

T N this Third and Last Book we come to the con-
-*■ eluding portion of this Heavenly Revelation. Its
subject is Redemption completed, and consummated in
triumph. No more sorrow, suffering, or conflict; no
more the bruising of the heel of the Redeemer. We
have now done with the prophecies of " the sufferings
of Christ," and have come to those that relate to " the
glory that should follow."

No more reference now to His first coming in
humiliation. No more coming "forth" to suffer and
die, a sacrifice for sins ; the reference now is only to
His second coming in glory; His coming " unto " this
earth is not to suffer for sin (Heb. ix. 28.), but it will
be a coming in power to judge the earth in righteous-
ness, and to subdue all enemies under His feet.

Like the other two books, it consists of four
chapters.

The first chapter is the prophecy of the coming
Judge of all the earth.

The second sets before us the two-fold nature of the
coming Ruler.

The third shows us Messiah's redeemed possessions
— the Redeemed brought safely home, all conflict over.

The fourth describes Messiah's consummated
triumph.

120 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

CHAPTER I.

The Sign TAURUS (The Bull).
Messiah j the coming Judge of all the Earth.

The picture is that of a Bull rushing forward with
mighty energy and fierce wrath, his horns set so as
to push his enemies, and pierce them through and
destroy them.

It is a prophecy of Christ, the coming Judge, and
Ruler, and " Lord of all the earth."

The Egyptian Zodiac of Denderah already, 4,000
years ago, had forgotten the truth to which the pro-
phecy had referred, and called him I sis, i.e., who
saves or delivers, and Apis, i.e., the head or chief. The
Bull is clearly represented, and in all the zodiacs
which have come down to us is always in the act of
pushing, or rushing.

The name of the sign in Chaldee is Tift, Tor.
Hence, Arabic, A I Thanr ; Greek, Tauros; Latin,
Taurus, etc. The more common Hebrew name
was -fi&y, Shur, which is from a root which means both
coming and ruling. There are several Hebrew words
for bulls and oxen, etc. But the common poetical
term for all is DX"1, Reem, conveying the idea of
loftiness, exaltation, power, and pre-eminence. We
find the root in other kindred languages (Etruscan,
Sanscrit, etc.), and it can be traced in the name of
Abram, which means pre-eminent or high father ; Ramah,
high place, etc.

TAURUS. 121

The stars in Taurus present a brilliant sight.
There are at least 141 stars, besides two important
groups of stars, which both form integral parts of
the sign.

The brightest star, a (in the bull's eye), has a
Chaldee name — A I Debaran, and means the leader or
governor. The star 3 (at the tip of the left horn)
has an Arabic name — El Nath, meaning wounded or
slain. Another prophetic intimation that this coming
Lord should be first slain as a sacrifice.

Then there is the cluster of stars known as the
Pleiades. This word, which means the congregation
of the judge or ruler, comes to us through the Greek
Septuagint as the translation of the Hebrew Hp'3,
Chima, which means the heap or accumulation, and
occurs in Job ix. 9; xxxviii. 31, 32, and Amos v. 8.

It consists of a number of stars (in the neck
of Taurus) which appear to be near together. The
brightest of them, marked ij in all the maps,* has
come down to us with an Arabic name — Al Cyone,
which means the centre, and has given the idea to
some astronomers that it is the centre of the whole
universe. The Syriac name for the Pleiades is
Succoth, which means booths.

Another group of stars (on the face of the Bull)
is known as The Hyades,\ which has the similar
meaning of the congregated.

• The others have names, but they were given by the Greeks from the names
of the seven daughters of Atlas and PUione. The Hyades were their sisters.
Together they tell us that the saints will be secure with this mighty Lord when he
comes to rule.

f The Pleiades and Hyades are sometimes spoken of as constellations, but ibis
is a mistake ; they are integral parts of Taurus.

122 TH^ WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Other stars, not identified, are named Palilicium
(Hebrew), belonging to the judge ; Wasat (Arabic), centre
or foundation; A I Thuraiya (Arabic), the abundance;
Vergilia (Latin), the centre (Arabic, vertex) turned on,
rolled round.

Every thing points to the important truth, and
all turns on the fact that the Lord is coming to
rule ! This is the central truth of all prophecy.
14 The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy/'
All hope for Creation, all hope for the world, all hope
for Israel, all hope for the Church, turns on this, that
''Jesus is coming again," and that when He comes
His saints, " the daughters of the King " (like the
Pleiades and Hyades), will be with Him.

There is nothing of " the Church " revealed here.
The Church will be caught up to meet the Lord in
the air, to be for ever with the Lord (i Thess. iv. 17)
before He thus comes unto the world in judgment.
He will come forth to receive the members of His
Body unto Himself, before He thus comes with them
to destroy all His enemies and "judge (or rule) the
world in righteousness. " When we read this Sign
of Taurus, therefore, we are to understand that
His Church will be with Him, safe from all judg-
ment.

There is very much in the Scripture of the Book,
(as there is in the prophecies in the heavens) about
the coming of the Lord in judgment ; and about this
time of His indignation. For Enoch, who doubtless
was used in arranging these prophetic signs, uttered

TAURUS. 123

the prophetic words, " Behold the Lord cometh with
ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment
upon all and to convict all that are ungodly "
(Jude 14, 15).

We have said (pages 17, etc.) that at a very early
period these signs were appropriated to the Twelve
Tribes of Israel, and borne upon their " stand-
ards. " This may be traced in the Blessing of
Jacob (Gen. xlix.), and in the Blessing of Moses
(Deut. xxxiii.). Taurus was assigned to Joseph, or
rather to his two tribes of Ephraim and , Manasseh,
like the two powerful horns :

" The firstling- of his bullock (marg. his firstling bullock) —
majesty is his,
And his horns are the horns of the wild-ox (Reem).
With them he shall push (marg. gore) the peoples, all

of them, even the ends of the earth.
And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And they are the thousands of Manasseh."

(Deut. xxxiii. 17, r.v.)

It is not, however, merely by men alone that this
will be done, for David sings :

" Thou art my King", O God. . . .
Through Thee will we push down our enemies;
Through Thy Name will we tread them under that
rise up against us." (Ps. xliv. 5.)

" I will punish the world for their evil,
And the wicked for their iniquity;
I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. . . .
Every one that is found shall be thrust through."

(Isa. xiii. n-15.)

124 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Speaking of that day, the Holy Spirit says by
Isaiah :

" For the Lord hath indignation against all the nations,
And fury against all their host :
He hath utterly destroyed them,
He hath delivered them to the slaughter. , . .
The Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah,
And a great slaughter in the land of Edom,
And the wild oxen \Reem\ shall come down with them,
And the bullocks with the bulls;
And their land shall be drunken with blood,
And their dust made fat with fatness.
For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance,
The year of recompense in the controversy of Zion."

(Isa. xxxiv. 2-8, r.v.)
" Behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their

iniquity :
The earth also shall disclose her blood,
And shall no more cover her slain." (Isa. xxvi. 21.)

This is the united testimony of the two Revela-
tions. It is pictured in the heavens, and it is written
in the Book. It is the prophecy of a coming Judge,
and of a coming judgment.

It is, however, no mere Bull that is coming. It
is a man, a glorious man, even " the Son of Man."
This is the first development, shown in the first of
the three constellations belonging to the sign.

§ i. ORION (The coming Prince).
Light Breaking Forth in the Redeemer.

This picture is to show that the coming one is
no mere animal, but a man : a mighty, triumphant,
glorious prince.

taurus: (orion). 125

He is so pictured in the ancient Denderah Zodiac,
where we see a man coming forth pointing to the
three bright stars (Rigel, Bellatrix, and Betelguez) as
his. His name is given as Ha-ga-t, which means
this is he who triumphs. The hieroglyphic characters
below read Oar. Orion was anciently spelt Oarionr
from the Hebrew root, which means light. So that
Orion means coming forth as light. The ancient
Akkadian was Ur~ana, the light of heaven.

Orion is the most brilliant of all the constellations,
and when he comes to the meridian he is accompanied
by several adjacent constellations of great splendour.
There is then above the horizon the most glorious
view of the celestial bodies that the starry firmament
affords ; and this magnificent view is visible to all
the habitable world, because the equinoctial line (or
solstitial colure) passes nearly through the middle of
Orion.

Aratus thus sings of him : —

" Eastward, beyond the region of the Bull,
Stands great Orion. And who, when night is clear,
Beholds him gleaming bright, shall cast his eyes in vain
To find a Sign more glorious in all heaven."

The constellation is mentioned by name, as being
perfectly well known both by name and appearance, in
the time of Job ; and as being an object of familiar
knowledge at that early period of the world's history.
See Job ix. 9; xxxviii. 31, and Amos v. 8 (Heb. /*P3,
Chesil, which means a strong one, a hero, ox giant).

It contains 78 stars, two being of the 1st magni-
tude, four of the 2nd, four of the 3rd, sixteen of the
4th, etc.

126 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

A little way below « (in the sword) is a very
remarkable nebulous star. A common telescope will
show that it is a beautiful nebula. A powerful
telescope reveals it as consisting of collections of
nebulous stars, these again being surrounded by faint
luminous points, which still more powerful telescopes
would resolve into separate stars.

Thus beautifully is set forth the brilliancy and
glory of that Light which shall break forth when
the moment comes for it to be said, " Arise, shine,
for thy light is come."

The picture presents us with " the Light of the
world." His left foot is significantly placed upon
the head of the enemy. He is girded with a glorious
girdle, studded with three brilliant stars; and upon
this girdle is hung a sharp sword. Its handle proves
that this mighty Prince is come forth in a new
character. He is again proved to be " the Lamb
that was slain," for the hilt of this sword is in the
form of the head and body of a lamb. In his right
hand he lifts on high his mighty club ; while in his
left he holds forth the token of his victory — the head
and skin of the " roaring lion." We ask in wonder,
" Who is this ? " * and the names of the stars give
us the answer.

The brightest, a (in the right shoulder), is named
Betelgeuz, which means the coming (Mai. iii. 2) of the
branch.

The next, 0 (in the left foot), is named Rigel, or
Rigol, which means the foot that crusheth. The foot

* See Jer. xxx. 21 ; and Matt. xxi. 10.

Gemini

V-.jIrto

Taurus

'•■• A! D'eb'dran

Vit;°^ .

m ' "&

Wellatrn

\X ™_ AINitat
1 \ AINitO'n 5 ^
(Xs>^J4ini oka ^> (•

■.Canis Major

VVW

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xxix V

ORION ^

(the Glorious One )

-U

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V" Lepus

. r ♦

taurus: (orion). 127

is lifted up, and placed immediately over the head
of the enemy, as though in the very act of crushing
it. Thus, the name of the star bespeaks the act.

The next star, y (in the left shoulder), is called
Bellatrix, which means quickly coming, or swiftly
destroying.

The name of the fourth star, 8 (one of the three
in the belt), carries us back to the old, old story,
that this glorious One was once humbled ; that His
heel was once bruised. Its name is A I Nitak, the
wounded One* Similarly the star k (in the right
leg) is called Saiph, bruised x which is the very word
used in Gen. iii. 15, thus connecting Orion with the
primeval prophecy. Like Ophiuchus, he has one
leg bruised; while, with the other, he is crushing the
enemy under foot.

This is betokened by other stars, not identified,
named A I Rai, who bruises, who breaks (as in Cc-
pheus) ; and Thabit (Hebrew), treading en.

Other (Arabic) names relate to His Person: Al
Giauzd, the branch; Al Gebor, the mighty; A I Mirzam,
the rider; A I Nagjed, the prince; Niphla (Chaldee),
the mighty; Nux (Hebrew), the strong.

Some names relate to His coming, as Betelgeuse
and Bellatrix, as above; Heka (Chaldee), coming;
and Meissa (Hebrew), coming forth.

Such is the cumulative testimony of Orion's star?,
which, day after day, and night after night, show
forth this knowledge. That testimony was after-

* The star £ (in the belt) is called Mintaka, dividing, as a sacrifice. (Lev. viil 2.)

128 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

wards written in the Book. The Prince of Glory,
who was once wounded for the sins of His redeemed,
is about to rise up and shine forth for their deliver-
ance. Their redemption draweth nigh ; for — ■

"The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man,
He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war;
He shall cry, yea, roar;
He shall prevail against His enemies.
I have \He says'] long time holden my peace;
I have been still, and refrained myself:
Now will I cry like a travailing woman ;
I will destroy and devour at once."

(Isa. xlii. 13, 14.)

Then it will be said to His people (and the

setting of the prophecy in its beautiful introverted

structure shows us the beauty and glory of the truth

it reveals) : *

a J Arise,

b j Shine ; for thy light is come,

c I And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

d I For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
d I And gross darkness the people ;
c But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory
shall be seen upon thee.
b I And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,
a I And kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isa. Ix. I -3.)

This is " the glory of God " which the heavens
constantly declare (Ps. xix. 1). They tell of that
blessed time when the whole earth shall be filled
with His glory (Num. xiv. 21 ; Isa. xi. 9) ; when
" the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and alJ

• Note, that —

In a and a, we have the rising of Israel ;
In b and b, the light that is come upon her ;
In c and <-, the glory of the Lord ; and
In d and d> the darkness of the world.

taurus: (eridanus). 129

flesh shall see it together" (Isa. xl. 5), as all see
now the beauty of Orion's glory. &

But side by side with the glory which the coming
Light of the world shall bring for His people, there
is "that wicked," whom the Lord "shall destroy
with the brightness of His coming." Hence, as in
the concluding chapter (iv.) of the First Book (of
which this Third Book is the expansion) we had in
Lyra {the harp), as § 1, Praise prepared for the
Conqueror; and in ARA {the burning pyre), as § 2,
Consuming fire prepared for His enemies : so in
the first chapter of this book, we have in ORION,
as § 1, Glory prepared for the Conqueror; and in
ERIDANUS, as § 2, the River of wrath prepared
for His enemies. This brings us to —

§ 2. ERIDANUS (The River of the Judge).
The River of Wrath Breaking Forth for His Enemies.

It issues forth, in all the pictures, from the
down-coming foot of Orion. While others see in it,
from the ignorance of fabled story, only " the River
Po," or the " River Euphrates," we see in it, from '
the meaning of its name, and from the significance
of its position, the river of the Judge.

In the Denderah Zodiac it is a river under the
feet of Orion. It is named Peh-ta4, which means
the mouth of the river.

It is an immense constellation, and our diagram
is on a smaller scale than the others (which are all
in relative proportion, except where otherwise noted).

130 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

According to the Britannic catalogue, it consists
of 84 stars ; one of the 1st magnitude, one of the
2nd, eight of the 3rd, etc.

The brightest star, a (at the mouth of the river),
bears the ancient name of Achernar, which is in, as
its name means, the after part of the river.

The next star, 3 (at the source of the river), is
named Cursa, which means bent down. The next,
7 (at the second bend in the river), is called Zourac
(Arabic), flowing. Other stars, not identified, are
Pheat, mouth (of the river) ; and Ozha, the going forth.

Here, then, we have a river flowing forth from
before the glorious Orion. It runs in a serpentine
course towards the lower regions, down, down, out of
sight. In vain the sea monster, Cetus, strives to stop
its flow. It is " the river of the Judge," and speaks
of that final judgment in which the wicked will be
cast into the lake of fire. It was evidently originally
associated with fire; for the Greek myths, though
gross perversions, still so connect it. According to
their fables, something went wrong with the chariot of
the sun, and a universal conflagration was threatened.
In the trouble, Phaeton (probably a reference to the
star Pheat) was killed and hurled into this river, in
which he was consumed with its fire. The whole earth
suffered from such a burning heat that great disasters
ensued. We see from this myth two great facts pre-
served in the perverted tradition, viz., judgment and fire.

Aratus also preserves the connection, —

11 For yonder, trod by heavenly feet,
Wind the scorched waters of Eridanus' tear-swollen flood,
Welling- beneath Orion's uplifted foot."

ORION ':

•: CfR/5

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• 0

♦ 53

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y 40 >

V 5 9

• 34

• 32

i 7

• 22

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T P2pi

^_ 4

■V

LfPUS;

i^y Y -*«•

—

CE TUS

♦.T.*'

♦ 42

a/ Achernar

taurus: (eridanus). 131

Is not this the testimony afterwards written in
the Book ? Daniel sees this very river in his vision
of that coming day, when the true Orion shall come
forth in His glory. He says, " I beheld till the
thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of
days did sit : . . • . His throne was fiery flames, and the
wheels thereof burning fire. A fiery stream issued

AND CAME FORTH FROM BEFORE HlM." This is the

River of the Judge; for he goes on to say, " the judg-
ment was set, and the books were opened " (Dan. vii.

9-1 1, R.V.).

We have the same in Ps. xcvii. 3-5 (r.v.), which
describes the scene when the Lord shall reign :

" A FIRE GOETH BEFORE HlM,

And burneth up His adversaries round about.

His lightnings lightened the world:

The earth saw and trembled,

The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth."

So again in Ps. 1. 3, we read :

" Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence, .

A FIRE SHALL DEVOUR BEFORE HlM,

And it shall be very tempestuous round about Him."

By Habakkuk the coming of the Lord is de-
scribed ; and it is written :

" His brightness was as the light, ....
Before Him went the pestilence,
And burning coals went forth at His feet."

(Hab. iii. 5.)

What is this but Orion and Eridanus!

Again, it is written in Isaiah xxx. 27-33 (r.v.) :

" Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far,
Burning with His anger, and in thick rising smoke:

I 2

132 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

His lips are full of indignation,
And His tongue is as a devouring fire:
And His breath is as an overflowing stream [of fire], . , .
For a Topheth is prepared of old ;
Yea, for the king \_Moloch~] it is made ready;
, He hath made it deep and large ;
The pile thereof is fire and much wood ;
The breath of the Lord, like. a stream of brimstone,
doth kindle it."

So, again, we read in Nahum i. 5, 6 :

" The mountains quake at Him,
And the hills melt;

And the earth is burned up at His presence,
Yea, the world and all that dwell therein.
Who can stand before His indignation ?
And who can abide in the fierceness of His anger r
His fury is poured out like fire."

In Isa. lxvi. 15, 16, we read:

" For, behold, the Lord will come with fire,
And with His chariots like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with* flames of fire,
For by fire, and by His sword, will the Lord plead with
all flesh."

With this agree the New Testament scriptures,
which speak of "the Day of the Lord," "when the
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on
them that know not God, and that obey not the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. i. 7, 8).

This is the true Eridanus. It is no mere " pic-
ture." It is a dread reality! It is written in stars
of fire, and words of truth, that men may heed the
solemn warning and "flee from the wrath to come"!

taurus: (auriga). 133

But we ask, " Who may abide the day of His
coming ? and who shall stand when He appeareth "
(Mai. iii. 2) ? " Who can stand before His indig-
nation," when " His fury is poured out like fire"
(Nah. i. 6)?

The answer is given in the next picture!

§ 3. AURIGA (The Shepherd).
Safety for the Redeemed in the Day of Wrath.

Here is presented to us the answer to the ques-
tion, " Who may abide the day of His coming ? "

•' Behold, the Lord God (Adonai Jehovah) will come
as a mighty one,
And His arm shall rule for Him:
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His recompense before Him.
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd,
He shall gather the lambs in His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And shall gently lead those that give suck."

(Isa. xl. 10, II, r.v.)

This is exactly what is presented before us in
this last section of the chapter, which tells of the
coming judgment. We have had the picture of a
mighty Bull rushing forth ; then the fiery river of
the Judge; and now we see a Great Shepherd. He
is seated upon "the milky way," holding up on his
left shoulder a she goat. She clings to his neck,
and is looking down affrighted at the terrible on-
rushing Bull. In his left hand he supports two

134 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

little kids, apparently just born, and bleating, and
trembling with fear.

Aratus says, —

" She is both large and bright, but they — the kids —
Shine somewhat feebly on Auriga* s wrist."

Is not this the Great Shepherd gathering the
lambs in His arm ? and carrying them in His
bosom ? Is He not saying :

" I will save My flock,
And they shall no more be a prey."

(Ezek. xxxiv. 22.)

"And David my servant shall be king over them,
And they shall have one shepherd." (id. xxxvii. 24.)

"And they shall fear no more,
Nor be dismayed,
Neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord."

(Jer. xxiii. 4.)

Auriga is from a Hebrew root which means a
shepherd. It is a beautiful constellation of 66 stars;
one of the 1st magnitude, two of the 2nd, nine of
the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in the body of the goat),
points her out as the prominent feature of the con-
stellation, for its name Alioth (Hebrew) means a she-
goat. It is known by the modern Latin name Capella,
which has the same meaning.

The next star, 0 (in the shepherd's right arm),
is called Menkilinon, and means the band, or chain
of the goats, and points out the truth that they are
never more to be lost again, but to be bound, with
the bands of love, to the Shepherd for evermore.

taurus: (auriga). 135

The name of another star is Maaz, which means
a flock of goats.

Can there be any mistake as to who this Shepherd
is ? for the bright star in his right foot is called El
Nath * (like another in Aries), which means wounded
or slain. This is He, then, who was once bruised
or wounded in the heel. He is " the GOOD Shep-
herd," who gave His life for the sheep (John x. n),
but He was " the GREAT Shepherd " brought again
from the dead (Heb. xiii. 20) ; and is now the CHIEF
Shepherd (1 Pet. v. 4) seen in the day of His coming
glory. Another star emphasises this truth, for it is
named Aiyuk, which also means wounded in the foot.f

The star marking the kids is called Gedi (Hebrew),
kids.

In Latin, the word Auriga means a coachman or
charioteer, the band in his right hand being taken
as his reins. But the incongruity of a charioteer carry-
ing a she-goat, and nursing two little kids, never
struck them ; nor did the fact that he has no chariot
and no horses ! When man blunders in the things
of God, he does it thoroughly!

In the Zodiac of Denderah the same truth was
revealed more than 4,000 years ago ; but the Man,
instead of carrying the sheep, is carrying a sceptre,
and is called Trun, which means sceptre or power.
But this is a strange sceptrq, for at the top it
has the head of a goat, and at the bottom, below

* It is also reckoned in the horn of Taurus.
f The same as in 2 Sam. iv. i.

I36 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

the hand that holds it, it ends in a cross ! With
the Egyptians the cross was a sign of life. They
knew nothing of " the death of the cross." Here,
then, we see life and salvation for the sheep of
His flock when He comes to reign and rule in
judgment. The truth is precisely the same, though
the presentation of it is somewhat varied.

The connected teaching of the two constellations,

Eridanus and Auriga, is solemnly set forth in Mai. iv.

1-3 (R-v,):

" Behold, the day cometh,
It burneth as a furnace ;
And all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall

be stubble:
And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the

Lord of hosts,
That it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
BUT UNTO YOU that fear My name shall the Sun of

Righteousness arise with healing- in His wings;
And ye shall go forth and gambol as calves of the stall.
And ye shall tread down the wicked;
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
In the day that I do make (marg. do this), saith the

Lord of hosts."

In Psalm xxxvii. this day is repeatedly referred
to, the day when " the wicked shall be cut off";
and it concludes by summarizing the same great
truth (vv. 38-40, r.v.) :

u As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together ;
The latter end of the wicked shall be cut off,
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord :
He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
And the Lord helpeth them, and rescueth them;
He rescueth them from the wicked and saveth them,
Because they have taken refuge in Him."

GEMINI. 137

Oh, that all who read these pages may heed the
solemn warning, and flee for refuge to Him who
now, in this day of grace, is crying, " Look unto me,
and be ye saved, O all ye ends of the earth "
(Isa, xlv. 22).

CHAPTER II.

The Sign GEMINI (The Twins).

Messiah's Reign as Prince of Peace.

All the pictures of this sign are confused. The
Greeks claimed to have invented them, and they
called them Apollo and Hercules. They are so
given in our illustration. The Latins called them
Castor and Pollux ; and the name of a vessel in
which Paul sailed is so called in Acts xxviii. 11,

AlQ<TKOVfOl.

The name in the ancient Denderah Zodiac is
Clusus, or Claustrum Hoy., which means the place of
Him who comet h. It is represented by two human
figures walking, or coming. The second appears to
be a woman. The other appears to be a man. It
is a tailed figure, the tail signifying He cometh.

The old Coptic name was Pi-Mahi, the united, as
in brotherhood. Not necessarily united by being born
at the same time, but united in one fellowship or
brotherhood. The Hebrew name is Thaumim, which
means united. The root is used in Exod. xxvi. 24 :

I38 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

" They (the two boards) shall be coupled together
beneath." In the margin we read, " Heb. twinned1'
(r.v. double). The Arabic Al Tauman means the
same.

We need not trouble ourselves with the Grecian
myths, even though we can see through them the
original and ancient truth. The two were both
heroes of peculiar and extraordinary birth — sons of
Jupiter. They were supposed to appear at the head
of armies ; and as they had cleared the seas of
pirates, they were looked upon as the patron saints
of navigation. (Hence the name of the ship in
Acts xxyiii. 11.) They were held in high esteem
both by Greeks and Romans ; and the common
practice of taking oaths and of swearing by their
names has descended even to our own day in the
still surviving vulgar habit of swearing " By Gemini ! "

The more ancient star-names help us to see
through all these and many other myths, and to
discern Him of whom they testify; even Him in
His twofold nature — God and Man — and His two-
fold work of suffering and glory, and His twofold
coming in humiliation and in triumph.

There are 85 stars in the sign : two of the 2nd
magnitude, four of the 3rd, six of the 4th, etc.

The name of a (in the head of the one at our
right hand) is called Apollo, which means ruler, or
judge; while 0 (in the head of the other) is called
Hercules, who cometh to labour, or suffer. Another
star, y (in his left foot), is called Al Henah, which

+ f * •

,-..;,• /•;.<? %&. — (w \
•• .•■ v Ac-''\ \

Auriga

Orion

GEMINI. I39

means hurt, wounded, or afflicted. Can we have a doubt
as to what is the meaning of this double presentation ?
In Ophiuchus we have the two in one person : the
crushed enemy, and the wounded heel. But here
the two great primeval truths are presented in
two persons ; for the two natures were one Person,
" God and man in one Christ. " As man, suffering
for our redemption ; as God, glorified for our com-
plete salvation and final triumph. A star, c (in the
centre of his body), is called Waset, which means
set, and tells of Him who " set His face like a
flint " to accomplish this mighty Herculean work ;
and, when the time was come, " steadfastly set His
face to go " to complete it.

He bears in his right hand (in some pictures) a
palm branch. In the one from which our illustra-
tion is taken, it is a club ; but both the club of
this one and the bow of the other are in repose!
These united ones are neither in action nor are
they preparing for action, but they are at rest and
in peace after victory won. The star € (in the knee of
the other, " Apollo ") is called Mebsuta, which means
treading under feet. The names of other stars, which
are not identified, have come down to us with the
same testimony. One is called Propus (Hebrew),
the branch, spreading; another is called A I Giauzd
(Arabic), the palm branch; another is named At
Dird (Arabic), the seed, or branch.

The day has here come to fulfil the prophecies
concerning Him who is " the Branch," " the Branch
of Jehovah," " the man whose name is the Branch."

I40 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

M In that day shall the Branch of Jehovah be beautiful
and glorious ;
And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely
For them that are escaped of Israel." (Isa. iv. 2.)

" Behold, a king" shall reign in righteousness,
And princes shall rule in judgment ;

And a man shall be as an hiding" place from the wind."

(Isa. xxxii. 1, 2.)

"•' Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,
That I will raise unto David a righteous Branch,
And He shall reign as King- and deal wisely,
And shall execute judgment and justice in the land.
In His days Judah shall be saved,
And Israel shall dwell safely :

And this is His name whereby He shall be called,
The Lord is our Righteousness." (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6, R.v.)

" Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,
That I will perform that good word which I have

spoken
Concerning the house of Israel and concerning the

house of Judah.
In those days, and at that time,
Will I cause a Branch of Righteousness to grow up

unto David ;
And He shall execute judgment and righteousness in

the land." (Jer. xxxiii. 14, 15, r.v.)

This is what we see in this sign — Messiah's
•peaceful reign. All is rest and repose. We see
" His days," in which " the righteous shall flourish;
and abundance of peace, so long as the moon en-
dureth " (Ps. lxxii.).

But, for this blessed time to come, there must
be no enemy ! All enemies must be subdued.

This brings us to the first section of this book.

GEMINI: (LEPUS). I4I

§ 1. LEPUS (the Hare), THE ENEMY.

The Enemy Trodden under Foot,

The names of the three constellations of this
Sign, as well as the pictures, are all more or less
*nodern, as is manifest 'from the names being in
Latin, and having no relation to the ancient names
of their stars. To learn their real meaning, there-
fore, we must have recourse to the ancient Zodiacs.
In the Persian planisphere the first constellation was
pictured by a serpent. In the Denderah (Egyptian)
Zodiac it is an unclean bird standing on the serpent,
which is under the feet of Orion. Its name there is
given as Bashti-beki. Bashti means confounded, and
Beki means failing.

Aratus says, —

11 Below Orion's feet, the Hare
Is chased eternally."

It is a small constellation of 19 stars (all small),
three of which are of the 3rd magnitude, seven of
the 4th, etc.

The brightest, a (in the body), has a Hebrew
name, Arnebo, which means the enemy of Him that
cometh. The Arabic, Arnebeth, means the same.
Other stars, not identified, are Nibal, the mad; Rakis,
the bound (Arabic, with a chain) ; Sugia, the deceiver.

There can be no mistaking the voice of this
united testimony. For this enemy is under the
down-coming foot of Orion, and it tells of the
blessed fact that when the true Orion, "the Sun of

142 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Righteousness, shall arise," and " the true light "
•shall shine over all the earth, He " shall tread down
the wicked" (Mai. iv.), and every enemy will be
subdued under His feet. " It is He that shall tread
down our enemies" (Ps. lx. 12), as He has said:

" I will tread them in Mine anger,
And trample them in My fury . . .
For the day of veng-eance is in Mine heart,
And the year of My redeemed is come."

(Isa. lxiii. 3, 4.)

§ 2. CANIS MAJOR (The Dog), or SIRIUS

(The Prince).

The coming Glorious Prince of Princes (Sirius).

This second constellation carries on the teaching,
and tells of the glorious Prince who will thus subdue
and reign.

In the Denderah Zodiac he is called Apes, which
means the head. He is pictured as a hawk (Naz,
Y%9 caused to come forth, coming swiftly down). The
hawk is the natural enemy of the serpent, and here
it has on its head a pestle and mortar, indicating
the fact that he shall crush the head of the enemy.

In the Persian planisphere it is pictured as a
wolf, and is called Zeeb, which in Hebrew (IN?) has
the same meaning. Plutarch translates it IIpooVrTjs,
Leader. In Arabic it means coming quickly.

Its ancient name and meaning must be obtained
from the names of its stars which have come down

• K +

+ +

f3tr •jTTVv/y*<*

+ 27T +* \/ /

M/rzam :

K \Markab

S-XtrWese/i

'■::> •V.4I

**/?

XXXIV.C*ANISMAJOR(rheDo9
CAMS MIN0R.(Hie second Don)

GEMINI! (CANIS MAJOR OR SIRIUS). I43

to us. There are 64 altogether. Two are of the

I st magnitude, two of the 2nd, four of the 3rd, four
of the 4th, etc. Of these a (in the head) is the
brightest in the whole heavens ! It is called Sirius,
the Prince p2>, Sar)1 as in Isa. ix. 6.

Sirius * was, by the ancients, always associated
with great heat. And the hottest part of the year
we still call " the dog days," though, through the
variation as observed in different latitudes, and the
precession of the equinoxes, its rising has long ceased
to have any relation to those days. Virgil says that
Sirius

"With pestilential heat infects the sky."

Homer spoke of it as a star

"Whose burning" breath
Taints the red air with fevers, plagues, and death."

It is not, however, of its heat that its name speaks,
but of the fact that it is the brightest of all the
stars, as He of whom it witnesses is the " Prince of
princes," " the Prince of the Kings of the earth."

Though this " Dog-Star" came to have an ill-
omened association, it was not so in more ancient
times. In the ancient Akkadian it is called Kasista,
which means the Leader and Prince of the heavenly
host. While (as Mr. Robert Brown, Junr., points out)

II the Sacred Books of Persia contain many praises
of the star Tistrya or Tistar (Sirius), ' the chieftain
of the East.'"*

* Our English "Sir " is derived from this word.
•\ Euphratean Stellar Researches.

144 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The next star, 0 (in the left fore foot), speaks the
same truth. It is named Mirzam, and means the
prince or ruler. The star 8 (in the body) is called
Wesen, the bright, the shining. The star e (in the right
hind leg) is called Adhara, the glorious.

Other stars, not identified, bear their witness to
the same fact. Their names are — Aschere (Hebrew),
who shall come ; A I Shir a A I Jemeniya (Arabic), the
Prince or chief of the right hand! Seir (Egyptian),
the Prince; A bur (Hebrew), the mighty; A I Habor
(Arabic), the mighty ; Muliphen (Arabic), the leader, the
chief.

Here there is no conflicting voice ; no discord in
the harmonious testimony to Him whose name is
called " Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God . . •
the Prince of Peace" (Isa. ix. 6).

The names of the stars have no meaning what-
ever as applied to an Egyptian Hawk, or a Greek
Dog. But they are full of significance when we apply
them to Him of whom Jehovah says :

" Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people,
A Leader and commander to the people."

(Isa. lv. 4.)

This is " the Prince of princes " (Dan. viii. 23, 25)
against whom, " when transgressors are come to the
full, a king of fierce countenance . . . shall stand up,"
" but he shall be broken without hand," for he shall
be destroyed " with the brightness of His coming"
(2 Thess. ii. 8). This is He who shall come forth
" King of kings and Lord of Lords" (Rev. xix. 16).

gemini : (canis minor). 145

But Sirius has a companion, and this brings
us to —

§ 3. CANIS MINOR (The Second Dog).
The Exalted Redeemer (Procyon).

The same facts are to be remembered concerning
the Greek picture, and Latin name of this con-
stellation.

The Egyptian name in the Denderah Zodiac is
Sebak, which means conquering, victorious. It is repre-
sented as a human figure with a hawk's head and
the appendage of a tail.

This small constellation has only 14 stars accord-
ing to the Britannic catalogue. One of the 1st
magnitude, one of the 2nd, one of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in the body), is named
Procyon, which means Redeemer, and it tells us
that this glorious Prince is none other than the one
who was slain. Just as this chapter begins with two
persons in one in the Sign (Gemini), one victorious,
the other wounded; so it ends with a representation
of two princes, one of whom is seen triumphant and
the other as the Redeemer. This is confirmed by
the next star, 3 (in the neck), which is named Al
Gomeisa (Arabic), the burthened, loaded, bearing for
others. The names of the other stars, not identified,
still further confirm the great truth ; viz., Al Shira,
or A I Shemeliya (Arabic), the prince or chief of the left
hand, answering to the star in Sirius. One right, the
other left, as the two unked youths are placed. A I

I46 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Mirzam, the prince or ruler; and Al Gomeyra, who
completes or perfects.

This does, indeed, complete and perfect the pre-
sentation of this chapter : Messiah's reign as Prince
of Peace ; the enemy trodden under foot by the
glorious " Prince of princes," who is none nther than
the glorified Redeemer.

This is also what is written in the Book:

* Shall the prey be taken from the mig-hty,
Or the lawful captives * be delivered ?
But thus saith the Lord,

Even the captives of the mig-hty shall be taken away,

And the prey of the terrible shall be delivered :

For I will contend with him that contendeth with thee,

And I will save thy childre-n.

And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own

flesh;
And they shall be drunken with their own blood as

with sweet wine ;
And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy

Saviour,
And thy REDEEMER— the Mighty One of Jacob."

(Isa. xlix. 24-26, r.v.)

* When the enemy shall come in like a flood,

The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against

him,
And the REDEEMER shall come to Zion."

(Isa. lix. 19, 20.)

" And He shall divide the spoil with the strong-,
Because He hath poured out His soul unto death."

(Isa. liii. 12.)

* Marg., "t/ie captives of the just '," or, as read by the Vulg. and Syr., "the
captives of ihe terrible."

CANCER. I47

CHAPTER III.

The Sign CANCER (The Crab).
Messiah's Redeemed Possessions held fast.

With regard to the sign of Cancer, one thing is
certain, that we have not got the original picture, or
anything like it.

It does not agree with the names either of its
three constellations which have come down to us, or
of its stars.

In the ancient Denderah Zodiac it is represented
as a Scar abacus, or sacred beetle.* In the Zodiac
of Esneh and in a Hindu Zodiac (400 b.c) it is the
same.

According to the Greeks, Jupiter placed this Crab
amongst the signs of the Zodiac.

In Sir William Jones's Oriental Zodiac we meet
with a crab, and an Egyptian Zodiac found at Rome
bears also the crab in this sign.

The more ancient Egyptians placed Hermanubis,
or Hermes, with the head of an ibis or hawk, as the
symbol of the sign now allotted to Cancer.

The Denderah name is Klaria, or the cattle-folds,
and in this name we have the key to the meaning
of the sign, and to the subject of this chapter.

* The Scarabaeus, passing its early existence as a worm of the earth, and
thence issuing as a winged denizen of heaven, was held sacred by the Egyptians
as an emblem of the resurrection of the body.

K 2

I48 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The Arabic name is A I Sartan, which means who
holds or binds, and may be from the Hebrew ")DN, to
bind together (Gen. xlix. 11). There is no ancient
Hebrew word known for the crab. It was classed
with many other unclean creatures, and would be
included in the general term " vermin."

The Syriac, Sartano, means the same. The Greek
name is Karkinos, which means holding or encircling,
as does the Latin, Cancer, and hence is applied to
the crab. In the word Khan, we have the traveller's
rest or inn; while Ker or Cer is the Arabic for en-
circling. The ancient Akkadian name of the month
is Sn-kul-na, the seizer or possessor of seed.

The sign contains 83 stars, one of which is of
the 3rd magnitude, and seven are of the 4th magni-
tude, and the remainder of inferior magnitudes.

In the centre of the Sign there is a remarkably
bright cluster of stars, so bright that they can be
sometimes seen with the naked eye. It looks like
a comet, and is made up of a great multitude of
stars. Modern astronomers have called it the Bee-
hive. But its ancient name has come down to us as
Praesepe, which means a multitude, offspring.

The brightest star, £ (in the tail), is called
Tegmine, holding. The star a (or a1 and a2), in the
lower large claw, is called Acubene, which, in Hebrew
and Arabic, means the sheltering or hiding-place.
Another is named Ma'alaph (Arabic), assembled thou-
sands; A I Himarein (Arabic), the kids or lambs.

North and south of the nebula Praesepe are two
stars, which Orientalists speak of by a name evidently

CANCER. ■ 149

of some antiquity. Asellus means an Ass, and one
was called Asellus Boreas, thz northern Ass; while the
other, Asellus Australis, is the southern Ass,

The sign was afterwards known by the symbol in,
which stands for these two asses.*

This connects it with the Tribe of Issachar, who
is said to have borne upon the Tribal standard the
sign of two asses.

This is doubtless the reference in Jacob's blessing

(Gen. xlix. 11, r.v.) : —

" Issachar is a strong- ass,
Couching- down between the sheepfolds;
And he saw a resting--place that it was g"ood;
And the land that it was pleasant;
And he bowed his shoulder to bear,
And became a servant under task work."

Have we not here the gathering up of the teaching
of this sign —

Messiah's redeemed possessions held fast.

Here we come to the completion of His work.
In Cancer we see it with reference to His redeemed,
and in the next (the last) Sign, Leo, with reference
to His enemies.

The three constellations develope the truth. What
is now called Ursa Minor is the Lesser Flock ; Ursa
Major gives us The Sheepfold and the Sheep; while
Argo, The Ship, shows the travellers and the pilgrims
brought safely home — all conflict over.

To accomplish this, we see the true Issachar
bowing his shoulder to bear. He could say, " My

* The Ass was the emblem of Typhon, the king who smites or is smitten.

I50 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

soul is bowed down " (Ps. lvii. 6). He became a
servant, and humbled Himself to death. He under-
took the mighty task of saving His people from their
sins. " Their Redeemer is strong " (Jer. 1. 34) ; for
help was laid on " One that was mighty " (Ps. lxxxix.
19). And His redeemed shall come to a resting-
place that is good, and to a land that is pleasant. No
earthly Khan on earth affords them a home. They
look for a heavenly home, and in the many mansions
of the Father's house they shall find eternal rest.

Here we see that sheltering home to which the
names of these stars point; where the assembled
thousands (Ma'alaph) shall be received into the true
Klaria, even the " everlasting habitations.7'

These are now to be shown to us.

§ 1. URSA MINOR (The Little Bear).

The Lesser Sheepfold.

Here we come to another grievous mistake, or
ignorant perversion of primitive truth, as shown in
the ancient names of these two constellations.

It is sufficient to point to the fact that no Bear
is found in any Chaldean, Egyptian, Persian, or Indian
Zodiacs, and that no bear was ever seen with such a
tail ! No one who had ever seen a bear would have
called attention to a tail, such as no bear ever had,
by placing in its very tip the most important, won-
drous, and mysterious Polar Star, the central star
of the heavens, round which all others revolve. The
patriarchal astronomers, we may be sure, committed
no such folly as this.

cancer: (ursa minor). 151

The primitive truth that there were two, or a
pair of constellations is preserved ; and that of these
two, one is larger, and the other smaller. But
What were they ? We have the clue to the answer
in the name of the brightest star of the larger con-
stellation, which is called Dubheh. Now Dubheh
means a herd of animals. In Arabic, Dubah means
cattle. In Hebrew, *l2n, Dohver, is a fold ; and hence
in Chaldee it meant wealth. The Hebrew fcO^, Dohveh,
means rest or security; and certainly there is not
much of either to be found or enjoyed with bears !
The word occurs in Deut. xxxiii. 25 : " As thy days
so shall thy strength be." The Revised Version gives
in the margin, " So shall thy rest or security be."
This accords with what we have already seen under
" Cancer": " Couching down between the sheep-
folds,* he saw a resting-place that it was good."

Here are the two Sheepfolds, then ; the Greater
fold, and Lesser ; and here is the rest and security
which the flocks will find therein.

But in Hebrew there is a word very similar in
sound, though not in spelling — yr\ or yft, dbhv, which
means a bear! So we find in Arabic dub; Persian,.
deeb and dob. We can see, therefore, how the Hebrew
Dohver, a fold, and Dbhv, a bear, were confused ; and
how the Arabic Dubah, cattle, might easily have been
mistaken by the Greeks, and understood as a bear.

The constellation, which we must therefore call the
lesser sheepfold, contains 24 stars, viz., one of the
2nd magnitude, two of the 3rd, four of the 4th, etc.

* The word is so rendered in Judges v. 16, in A.V.

152 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The brightest star, a (at the point of the tail),
is the most important in the whole heavens. It is
named A I Ruccaba, which means the turned or ridden
on, and is to-day the Polar or central star, which
does not revolve in a circle as does every other
star, but remains, apparently, fixed in its position.
But though the star does not revolve like the others,
the central point in the heavens is very slowly but
steadily moving. When these constellations were
formed the Dragon possessed this important point,
and the star a, in Draco, marked this central point.
But, by its gradual recession, that point is sufficiently
near this star Ruccaba, in the Lesser Sheep/old, for it to
be what is called " the Polar Star." But, how could
this have been known five or six thousand years ago ?
How could it have been known when it received its
name, which means the turned or ridden on ? That it
was known is clear : so likewise was it made known in
the written Word that the original blessing included
not merely the multiplication of the seed of faithful
Abraham, but it was then added, " And thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies " (Gen. xxii. 17).

This star was called by the Greeks Kui/oVoupa, the
" Cynosure.11 Aratus seems to apply this term to
the whole of the seven stars of the Lesser Bear.
Mr. Robert Brown, Junr., shows* that KuvoVoupa, once
•' supposed to be Hellenic, is non-Hellenic, and possibly
Euphratean in origin, from a word which he trans-
literates An-nas-sur-ra, and renders it, "as it literally
means, high in rising, i.e., in heavenly position." Is

* Euphratean Stellar Researches, pp. 8, 9.

XXXVI. URSA.MINOR.

::": Polar Sfor +

V Q/^\AI Ruccaba + +

, * T

- KJ

..:-: -S-v:-, \

...... ki.... :•..

•'•';;;•"

!V.( ,»*'i.'to

,.-'/\VTY X

• + \ ># •...

.•■'■' N U \ / A..V

/ + + \ *. V + + ''•

cancer: (ursa minor). 153

not this the primitive truth of the Revelation ? Will
not this Lesser Fold be high, yea, the highest in
heavenly position ?

The Polar Star has been removed from the
Dragon, and is now in the Lesser Fold ; and when the
Dragon shall be cast down from the heavens, the
heavenly seed will be safely folded there. But this is
the Lesser Sheepfold. These are they who all through
the ages have been " partakers of the heavenly call-
ing/' who desired a better country, that is, a heavenly ;
wherefore God " hath prepared for them a city," the
city for which Abraham himself " looked." This was
no earthly city, but a city " whose builder and
maker is God" (Heb. xi. 10-16). These have always
been a smaller company, a " little flock," but the
kingdom shall be theirs, even the kingdom of God,
for which they now look and wait. They have not
yet " received the promises ; but, having seen them
afar off" by faith, they "were persuaded of them,
and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. xi. 13).
Their Messiah has accomplished " the redemption of
the purchased possession," and in due time the
redeemed will inherit it, " unto the praise of His
glory" (Eph. i. 13).

The bright star 0 is named Kochab, which means
waiting Him who cometh. Other stars, not identified,
are named A I Pherkadain (Arabic), which means the
calves, or the young (as in Deut. xxii. 6), the redeemed
assembly. Another, A I Gedi, means the kid. Another
is A I Kaid, the assembled; while Areas, or Arctos

154 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

(from which we derive the term Arctic regions),
means, according to one interpreter, a travelling
company; or, according to another, the stronghold of
the saved.

But there is not only the heavenly seed, which
is compared " to the stars of heaven," but there is
the seed that is compared to " the sand of the sea"
— the larger flock or company, who will enjoy the
earthly blessing.

This brings us to —

§ 2. URSA MAJOR (The Great Bear).

The Fold and the Flock,

Of these it is written : —

" But in Mount Zion there shall be those that escape,
And it shall be holy :
And the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."

(Obad. 17-19, R.v.)

It is a large and important constellation, con-
taining 87 stars, of which one is of the 1st magni-
tude, four of the 2nd, three of the 3rd, ten of the
4th, etc. It always presents a splendid appearance,
and is perhaps, therefore, the best known of all the
constellations.

In the Book of Job (ix. 9, and xxxviii. 31, 32)
it is mentioned under the name of Ash. " Canst
thou guide Ash and her offspring?" which is ren-
dered in the a.v., " Arcturus and his sons," and in
the R.v., "The Bear with her train " (marg., "sons").

cancer: (ursa major). 155

The Arabs still call it A I Naish, or Annaish, the
assembled together, as sheep in a fold. The ancient
Jewish commentators interpreted Ash as the seven
stars of this constellation. They are called by others
Scptentriones, which thus became the Latin word for
North.

The brightest star, a (in the back), is named
Dubhe, which, as we have seen, means a herd of
animals, or a flock, and gives its name to the whole
constellation.

The star 0 (below it) is named Merach (Hebrew),
the flock (Arabic, purchased).

The star 7 (on the left of 0) is called Phaeda, or
Phacda, meaning visited, guarded, or numbered, as a
flock ; for His sheep, like the stars, are both num-
bered and named. (See Psalm cxlvii. 4.)

The star € is called Alioth, a name we have had
in Auriga, meaning a she goat.

The star £ (in the middle of the tail) is called
Mizar, separate or small, and close to it A I Cor, the
Lamb (known as "g").

The star 13 (at the end of the so-called tail) is
named Benet Naish (Arabic), the daughters of the as-
sembly. It is also called A I Kaid, the assembled.

The star 1 (in its right foot) is called Talitha.

The names of other stars, not identified, all give
the same testimony : El Alcola (Arabic), the sheep-
fold (as in Ps. xcv. 7 ; and c. 3) ; Cdb'd al A sad,
multitude, many assembled; Annaish, the assembled;
Megrez, separated, as the flock in the fold ; El Kaphrah,

I56 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS. .

protected, covered (Heb. redeemed and ransomed) ; Dub-
heh Lachar (Arabic), the latter herd or flock ; Helike (so
called by Homer in the Iliad), company of travellers;
Amaza (Greek), coming and going; Calisto, the sheep-
fold set or appointed.

There is not one discordant voice in the rich
abundance of this testimony. We have nothing to do
here with the Grecian myths about bears or wild
boars. We see only the innumerable seed gathered
by Him who scattered (Jer. xxxi. 10).

Many are the Scriptures we might quote which
speak of this gathering and assembling of the long-
scattered flock. It is written as plainly in the Book,
as it is in the heavens. The prophecies of this
gathering are as conspicuous in the Word of God
as the "Seven Stars11 are in the sky. It is difficult
even to make a selection from the wealth of such,
promises ; but few are more beautiful than that in
Ezek. xxxiv. 12-16 :

" As a shepherd seeketh out his flock
In the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered ;
So will I seek out my sheep,
And will deliver them out of all places where they have

been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
And I will bring" them out from tlie people,
And gather them from the countries,
And will bring them to their own land,
And feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the

rivers
And in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them in a good pasture,
And upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold

be:
There shall they lie in a good fold,

cancer: (argo). 157

And in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the moun-
tains of Israel.

I will feed my flock,

And I will cause them to Ire down, saith the Lord Goi>
(Adonai Jehovah).

I will seek that which was lost,

And bring again that which was driven away.,

And will bind up that which was broken,

And will strengthen that which was sick:

But I will destroy the fat and the strong;

I will feed them with judgment."

It is of this judgment with which this book, and
indeed the whole Revelation, ends, in the next and
final chapter.

But before we come to that we have one more
picture in the third constellation of this Sign, which
combines the first two in one.

§ 3. ARGO (The Ship).
The Pilgrims safe at Home*
This is the celebrated ship of the Argonauts, of
which Homer sung nearly ten centuries before Christ.
Sir Isaac Newton puts the expedition of the Argo-
nauts shortly after the death of Solomon (about
975 B.C.). While Dr. Blair's chronology puts it at
1236 B.C.

Whatever fables have gathered round the story
there can be no doubt as to its great antiquity.
Some think that the story had its origin in name,
as well as in fact, from the Ark of Noah and its
mysterious journey. All that is clear, when divested
of mythic details, is that the sailors in that ship,,
after all their dangers, and toils, and battles were

I58 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

over, came back victorious to their own shores. The
"golden fleece/' for which the Argonauts went in
search, tells of a treasure that had been lost.
41 Jason/' the great captain, tells of Hirn who re-
covered it from the Serpent, which guarded it with
ever-watchful eye, when none else was able to
approach it. And thus, through the fables and
myths of the Greeks, we can see the light primeval
shine ; and this light, once seen, lights up this Sign
and its constellations, so that their teaching cannot
be misunderstood.

Aratus sings of Argo : —

" Stern-foremost hauled ; no mark of onward-speeding- ship.

Sternward she comes, as vessels do

When sailors turn the helm

On entering- harbour: all the oars back-water,

And gliding backward, to an anchor comes."

It tells of that blessed home-coming, when —

•" The ransomed of the Lord shall return
And come to Zion with songs,
And everlasting- joy upon their heads;
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isa. xxxv. 10.)

It tells of the glorious Jason,* of whom it is
asked :

"Art thou not it which hath cut Rahab,
And wounded the dragon ?
Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters

of the great deep ;
That hath made the depths of the sea a way for the

ransomed to pass over?
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion," etc. (Isa. . li. 9-1 r.)

* The Groeco-Judean equivalent of Joshua or Jesus.

cancer: (argo). 159

" For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, ,

And ransomed him from the hand of him that was

stronger than he.
Therefore they shall come and sing- in the height of Zion,
And shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord."

(Jer. xxxi. 11, 12.)

This is the return of the great emigrant-ship
(Argo) and all its company of travellers (for this is
the meaning of the word Argo).

In Kircher's Egyptian Planisphere Argo is repre-
sented by two galleys (as we have two sheepfolds),
whose prows are surmounted by rams' heads ; and
the stern of one of them ends in a fish's tail. One
of the two occupies four segments of the sphere (from
Taurus to Virgo), while the other occupies the four
from Leo to Capricorn. One half of the southern
meridians is occupied with these galleys and their
construction and decorations. Astronomers tell us
that they carry us back, the one to the period when
the Bull opened the year (to which time Virgil
refers) ; and the other to the same epoch, when the
summer solstice was in Leo — " an era greatly antece-
dent to the Argonautic expedition. How else, they
ask, do we account for the one ship having her prow
in the first Decan of Taurus, and her poop in the
last Decan of Leo ? or for one galley being freighted
with the installed Bull, and the other with the sol-
stitial Lion?1'*

These are the words of an astronomer who knows
nothing whatever of our interpretation of the heavens
which is set forth in this work.

* Jamieson's Scientific Display ', &c, p. 58.

j£o the witness of the stars.

It will indeed be a large vessel, the true Argo,
with its company of travellers, " a great multitude
which no man can number." All this is indicated
by the immense size of the Constellation, as well as
by the large number of its stars. There are 64 stars
in Argo (reckoning by the Britannic catalogue) ; one
of the 1st magnitude, six of the 2nd, nine of the 3rd,,
nine of the 4th, etc. Only a small part of the ship's
poop is visible in Britain.

Its brightest star, a (near the keel), is called
Canopus or Canobus, which means the possession of
Him who cometh. Other star-names, not identified,
are — Sephina, the multitude or abundance; Tureis, the
possession; Asmidiska, the released who travel; Soheil
(Arabic), the desired; and Subilon, the Branch.

Is not all this exactly in harmony with the rest
of this sign ? And is not this what is written in the
Book?

" Therefore, fear thou not, O My servant Jacob, saith the
Lord ;
Neither be dismayed, O Israel:
For, lo, I will save thee from afar,
And thy seed from the land of their captivity;
And Jacob shall return and be in rest,
And be quiet, and none shall make him afraid,
For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee."

(Jer. xxx. 10, 11.)

" Lift up thine eyes round about, and see ;
All they gather themselves together, they come to thee ;
Thy sons shall come from far,
And thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side,
Then thou shalt see, and flow together,

cancer: (argo). 161

And thine heart shall fear and be enlarged ;

Because the abundance of the sea shall be converted

unto thee. . . .
Who are these that fly as a cloud? 1

And as doVes to their windows?

Surely the isles shall wait for me, )

And the SHIPS of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons

from far." (Isa. lx. 4, 5, 8, 9.)

The whole chapter (Isa. lx.) should be read if we
wish to understand the great teaching of this Sign, which
tells of Messiah's secured possessions, the safe folding of
His blood-bought flock, the blessed return of His pil-
grims, and their abundant entrance into everlasting rest.

" There is a blessed home

Beyond this land of woe,
Where trials never come,

Nor tears of sorrow flow;
Where faith is lost in sight,

And patient love is crowned,
And everlasting light

Its glory throws around.

O joy, all joys beyond,

To see the Lamb who died,
And count each sacred wound

In hands, and feet, and side;
To give to Him the praise

Of every triumph won,
And sing through endless days

The great things He hath done.

Look up, ye saints of God,

Nor fear to tread below
The path your Saviour trod

Of daily toil and woe;
Wait but a little while

In uncomplaining love,
His own most gracious smile

Shall welcome you above."

162 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

CHAPTER IV.

The Sign LEO (The Lion).
Messiah's Consummated Triumph,

Here we come to the end of the circle. We began
with Virgo, and we end with Leo. No one who
has followed our interpretation can doubt that we
have here the solving of the Riddle of the Sphinx.
For its Head is Virgo and its Tail is Leo !

In Leo we reach the end of the Revelation as
inspired in the Word of God ; and it is the end as
written in the heavens.

Bailly [Astronomy) says, " the Zodiac must have
been first divided when the sun at the summer solstice
was in i° Virgo, where the woman's head joins the
Lion's tail."

As to its antiquity there can be no doubt. Jamieson
says, " the Lion does not seem to have been placed
among the Zodiacal symbols, because Hercules was
fabled to have slain the Nemean Lion. It would seem,
on the contrary, that Hercules, who represented the
Sun, was said to have slain the Nemean Lion, because
Leo was already a Zodiacal sign. Hercules flourished
3,000 years ago, and consequently posterior to the
period when the summer solstice accorded with Leo "
(Celestial Atlas ^ p. 40).

There is no confusion about this sign. In the
ancient Zodiacs of Egypt (Denderah, Esneh) and
India we find the Lion. The same occurs on the

LEO. 163

Mithraic monuments, where Leo is passant, as he is
in Moor's Hindu, and Sir William Jones's Oriental
Zodiacs. In Kircher's Zodiacs he is courrant ; in
the Egyptian Zodiacs he is couchant.

In the Denderah Zodiac he is treading upon a
serpent, as shown in Mr. Edward Cooper's Egyptian
Scenery.

Its Egyptian name is Pi Mentekeon, which means
the pouring out. This is no pouring out or inundation
of the Nile, but it is the pouring out of the cup of
Divine wrath on that Old Serpent.

This is the one great truth of the closing chapter
of this last Book. It is

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah aroused for
the rending of the prey.

His feet are over the head of Hydra, the great
Serpent, and just about to descend upon it and
crush it.

The three constellations of the Sign complete this
final picture :

1. Hydra, the old Serpent destroyed.

2. Crater, the Cup of Divine wrath poured out upon
him.

3. Corvus, the Bird of prey devouring him.

The Denderah picture exhibits all four in one.
The Lion is presented treading down the Serpent.
The Bird of prey is also perched upon it, while below
is a plumed female figure holding out two cups,
answering to Crater, the cup of wrath.

L 2

1 64 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The hieroglyphics read Knem, and are placed
underneath. Knem means who conquers, or is con-
quered, referring to the victory over the serpent. The
woman's name is Her-ua, great enemy, referring to
the great enemy for which her two cups are prepared
and intended.

The Hebrew name of the sign is Arieh, which
means the Lion. There are six Hebrew words for
Lion,* and this one is used of the Lion hunting down
his prey.

The Syriac name is Aryo, the rending Lion, and
the Arabic is A I A sad ; both mean a lion coming
vehemently, leaping forth as a flame !

It is a beautiful constellation of 95 stars, two
of which are of the 1st magnitude, two of the 2nd,
six of the 3rd, thirteen of the 4th.

The brightest star, a (on the Ecliptic), marks the
heart of the Lion (hence sometimes called by the
moderns, Cor Leonis, the heart of the Lion). Its ancient
name is Regulus, which means treading under foot.
The next star, j3, also of the 1st magnitude (in the
tip of the tail), is named Denebola, the Judge or Lord
who cometh. The star y (in the mane) is called A I
Giebha (Arabic), the exaltation. The star 8 (on the
hinder part of the back) is called Zosma, shining
forth.

* (l) Gor, a lion's whelp. (2) Ciphiry a young lion when first hunting for him-
self. (3) Sachal, a mature lion in full strength. (4) Laisht a fierce lion. (5)
Labia, a lioness ; and (6) Arieh, an adult lion, having paired, in search of his
prey (Nah. ii. 12 ; 2 Sam. xvii. 10; Num. xxiii. 24).

LEO. I65

Other stars, not identified, are named Sarcam
(Hebrew), the joining ; intimating that here is the
point where the two ends of the Zodiacal circle have
their joining. Another star has the name of Minchir
al A sad (Arabic), the punishing or tearing of the Lion.
Another is Deneb Aleced, the judge cometh who seizes.
And another is Al Da/era (Arabic), the enemy put
down.

What can be more expressive ? What can be
more eloquent ? All is harmony, and all the names
unite in pointing us to what is written of " the Lion
of the Tribe of Judah."

And why is Messiah thus called ? Because it is
applied to Him in Rev. v. 5 in connection with His
rising up for judgment : and because the Lion is
known to have been always borne upon the standard
of Judah, whether in the wilderness (Num. ii.) or
in aftertimes.

In Israel's dying blessing the prophetic words

foretold of Judah :

"Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; . . .
Judah is a lion's whelp;
From the prey, my son, thou art gone up.
He stooped down, he couched as a lion,
And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?"

(Gen. xlix. 8, 9.)

In the prophecy of Balaam (Num. xxiv. 8, 9),

we read:

" He shall eat up the nations his enemies,
And shall break their bones,
And pierce them through with his arrows,
He couched, he lay down as a lion,
And as a great lion ; who shall stir him up ? "

l66 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

The same testimony is borne by the Prophet
Amos :

" WiH a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey ?
Will a young" lion cry out of his den, if he hath taken

nothing-? ...
The lion hath roared, who will not fear?"

(Amos iii. 4, 8.)

When " the Lion of the tribe of Judah " is roused
up for the rending, the Spirit describes the scene in
Isa. xlii. 13:

" The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man,
He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war;
He shall cry, yea, roar;
He shall prevail against His enemies."

And this is what is meant and included when the
Elder says for John's comfort, " the Lion of the
Tribe of Judah hath prevailed" and hence, is " worthy
. . ; to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing "
(Rev. v.).

Whether we look, therefore, at the primeval Reve-
lation in the heavens, or at the later Revelation in
the Word, the story is one and the same.

And what we see of Leo and his work in both,
we find developed and described in the three con-
stellations of the Sign.

§ 1. HYDRA (The Serpent).

The Old Serpent Destroyed.

The time has at length come for the fulfilment
of the many prophecies pictured in the heavens : and

LEO : (HYDRA AND CRATER). 167

in its three final constellations we see the consum-
mation of them all in the complete destruction of the
Old Serpent, and all his seed, and all his works.

It is the special work of the Messiah, as " the
Lion of the tribe of Judah," to trample it under
foot.

It is pictured as the female serpent (Hydra), the
mother and author of all evil. Hydra has the signi-
ficant meaning, he is abhorred!

It is an immense constellation extending for above
100 degrees from east to west, beneath the Virgin,
the Lion, and the Crab. It is composed of 60 stars ;
one of the 2nd magnitude, three of the 3rd, twelve
of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, a (in the heart of the Serpent),
is sometimes called by the moderns Cor Hydra?
on that account. Its ancient name is A I Phard
(Arabic), which means the separated, put away. An-
other is called A I Brian, the abhorred. Another star is
named Minchar al Sugia, the piercing of the deceiver.

There can be no doubt as to what is taught by
the constellation of Hydra, nor is, it necessary ' to
quote the Scriptures concerning the destruction of
the Serpent. We pass on to consider the second.

§ 2. CRATER (The Cup).

The Cup of Divine wrath Poured out upon Him.

" God is the Judge.
He putteth down one, and setteth up another, <
For in the hand or the Lord there is a gup,

LEO : (HYDRA AND CRATER). 167

in its three final constellations we see the consum-
mation of them all in the complete destruction of the
Old Serpent, and all his seed, and all his works.

It is the special work of the Messiah, as " the
Lion of the tribe of Judah," to trample it under
foot.

It is pictured as the female serpent (Hydra), the
mother and author of all evil. Hydra has the signi-
ficant meaning, he is abhorred!

The brightest star, a (in the heart of the Serpent),
is sometimes called by the moderns Cor Hydra
on that account. Its ancient name is Al Phard
(Arabic), which means the separated, put away. An-
other is called A I Drian} the abhorred. Another star is
named Minchar al Sugia, the piercing of the deceiver.

There can be no doubt as to what is taught by
the constellation of Hydra, nor is, it necessary ' to
quote the Scriptures concerning the destruction of
the Serpent. We pass on to consider the second.

§ 2. CRATER (The Cup).

The Cup of Divine wrath Poured out upon Him.

" God is the Judge.
He putteth down one, and setteth up another, »
For in the hand of the Lord there is a gup,

l68 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

And the wine is red ; it is full of mixture,
And He poureth out of the same :

But the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall
wring- them out and drink them." (Ps. lxxv. 8.)

*' Upon the wicked he shall rain snares,
Fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest :
This shall be the portion of their cup." (Ps. xi. 6.)

This is no fabled wine-cup of Bacchus ; but it is
" The cup of His indignation " (Rev. xiv. 10) ; " The
cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath " (Rev.
xvi. 19). This is what we see set forth in this con-
stellation. The Cup is wide and deep, and fastened
on by the stars to the very body of the writhing
serpent. The same stars which are in the foot of
the Cup form part of the body of Hydra, and are
reckoned as belonging to both constellations.

This Cup has the significant number of thirteen
stars (the number of Apostacy). The two — A I Ches
(a), which means the Cup, and ((&) — determine the
bottom of the Cup.

§ 3. CORVUS (The Raven).

The Birds of Prey devouring the Serpent,

Here is the final scene of judgment. We have
had Zeeb1 the Wolf ; now we have Oreb1 the Raven.
Her-na is its name in the Denderah Zodiac. Her,
means the enemy ; and Na, means breaking up or failing.
That is to say, this scene represents the breaking up
of the enemy.

leo : (corvus). 169

There are nine stars (the number of judgment) in
this constellation. The bright star a (in the eye)
is called A I Chibar (Arabic), joining together, from the
Hebrew Chiba (Num. xxiii. 8), which means accursed.
This star, then, tells of the curse inflicted. The star
0 (in the right wing) is called A I Goreb (Arabic), from
Hebrew Oreb, the Raven. A third star is named
Minchar al Gorab (Arabic), and means the Raven tear<-
ing to pieces.

This brings us to the end. There is nothing
beyond this. Nothing remains to be told. We

know from the Word of God that —

•

"The eye that mocketh at his father,
And despiseth to obey his mother,
The ravens of the valley shall pick it out."

(Prov. xxx. 17.)

We remember how David said to the Giant
Goliah — a type of this enemy of God's people — " I
will smite thee, and take thy head from thee ; and I
will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines
this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild
beasts of the earth" (1 Sam. xvii. 46).

When the great day of this judgment comes, an
angel standing in the sun will cry "to all the fowls
that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, and gather
yourselves together unto the supper of the great God ;
that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of
captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh
of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the
flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and
great" (Rev. xix. 17, 18).

170 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

And after these awful words shall be fulfilled, in
the closing Words of the prophecy of Isaiah, Jehovah
foretells us how —

" They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the
men that have transgressed against Me ;
For their worm shall not die,
Neither shall their fire be quenched ;
And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

This is the teaching of the whole Sign of Leo!
It is all summed up in.Jer. xxv. 30-33: —

" Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and

say unto them,
The Lord shall roar from on high,
And utter His voice from His holy habitation;
He shall mightily roar upon His habitation ;
He shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth;
For the Lord hath a controversy with the nations,
He will plead with all flesh;
He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith

the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,
Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation,
And a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the

coasts of the earth.
And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one

end of the earth
Even to the other end of the earth;
They shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried ;
They shall be dung upon the ground."

Here is the conclusion of the whole matter!
Here is the final triumph of the Son of Man in
the consummated victory of the Seed of the woman :
" Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive

• leo : (corvus). 171

power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and blessing" (Rev. v. 12).

" O what a bright and blessed world

This groaning" earth of ours will be,
When from its throne the tempter hurled,

Shall leave it all, O Lord, to Thee I
But brighter far that world above,

Where we, as we are known, shall know;
And, in the sweet embrace of love,

Reign o'er this ransomed earth' below.

O blessed Lord ! with longing eyes
That blissful hour we wait to see;

While every worm or leaf that dies
Tells of the curse, and calls for Thee.

Come, Saviour! Then o'er all below
Shine brightly from Thy throne above,

Bid heaven and earth Thy glory know,
And all creation feel Thy love/'

Man has ever sought to rob Christ of His glory.
He has long since done his best to obliterate His
name and His work from the Revelation which had
been written in the stars of light. When He humbled
Himself, and came as the promised Seed of the
woman, men " saw no beauty in Him that they
should desire Him." And these were religious men.
It was religious men, not the common rabble, whom
the Old Serpent made use of to wound Him in the
heel. The Devil could not touch Him himself; he
must use them as his instruments ; and it was only
religious men that could bo so used.

It was the " chief priests and scribes," men learned
in the Scriptures, whose very knowledge of the Word
was used to compass His death amongst the babes
at Bethlehem (Matt. ii. 4-6).

172 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

It was the same priests and scribes who were
used to put Him to death, and give the long-pro-
phesied wound in the heel.

Religion without Christ is enmity against God !
Knowledge of the Scriptures where the heart is not
subject to Christ, and where Christ is not seen in
them, is powerless and lifeless. It is true of the
Scriptures, as it will be of the heavenly Jerusalem —
■"the Lamb is the light thereof" (Rev. xxi. 23).

The Church of Rome has been used of the great
enemy to rob the Lamb of God of His promised
glory. Jerome, in his Latin translation of the Bible
(405 a.d.), wrote "ipse" He, in Gen. iii. 15, as the
41 bruiser of the serpent's head.'* And, in spite of
the fact that Jerome himself so quotes it in his com-
mentary, and that it is masculine in all the other
ancient translations of the Bible, Rome has first
corrupted Jerome's Vulgate by changing the " e " into
" a/' and putting " ipsa'1 (she) instead of " ipse " (He) ;
then she has so translated this corruption and per-
petuated this perversion in various languages ! So
that in all her versions, in her pictures and statues,
in the decree of Pope Pius IX., which promulgated
the dogma of the "immaculate conception of the Virgin
Mary" this lie of the Old Serpent has been foisted
on unnumbered thousands of deluded souls, who have
thereby been deceived into putting Mary in the place
of Jesus ; the " co-Redemptress " in the place of the
Redeemer; the creature in the place of the Creator;
the woman in the place of the woman's Seed ; — until
the outcome is reached by emblazoning, in huge gilt

leo: (corvus). 173

letters, on the outside of a large church in Rathmines,
Dublin, " MARINE PECCATORUM REFUGIUM,"
to Mary the Refuge of Sinners !

So complete has been the success of the subtlety
of the Serpent, that he has beguiled thousands of
Protestants to unite in circulating these corrupted
versions as the Word of God, thus giving currency ta
the DeviFs lie. This is done on the plea of ex-
pediency, in order that these versions might come to
many as Protestant truth instead of Popish error ;
but thus misleading those who were seeking for
light, while confirming Papists in their darkness.

But through all the " wisdom of the Serpent " we
can detect his lie. It is very thinly veiled, and the
Old Serpent has not succeeded in blinding the eyes
which the Spirit of God has opened. True, we see
in all Rome's pictures and statues the foot of Mary
on the Serpent's head, but the foot is not coming
down, nor is the head crushed ! Rather is the woman's
foot resting on its head ; and the woman herself sup-
ported by the Serpent.

The whole system of Mary-anity is thus seen to
be the outcome of the Serpent's wisdom in opposition
to the true Christ-ianity.

How different are the primeval star-pictures of the
heavens. There, the club is lifted up, the foot is
coming down, yea, the foot is actually planted upon
the enemy, treading the Scorpion under foot.

Rome may corrupt the words of the Book, but
she cannot touch the stars of heaven ! The Devil

174 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

himself cannot move them from their places* He
may choose and use his servants and agents for cor-
rupting the Scriptures written in the Book, but he
cannot change the Revelation of the stars.

There, — no woman's foot is seen upon the Serpent's
head ! There,: — no woman usurps the place of the all-
glorious Redeemer !

In Ophiuchus we see Him in dread conflict with
the Serpent, and we see His foot upon the Scorpion's
heart (Scorpio). We see Him, the Risen Lamb (Aries),
binding Cetus, the great Monster of the Deep; we
see Him in the glorious Orion, whose foot is coming
down on the enemy's head (Lepus) ; we see Him in
the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Leo), about to tread
down that Old Serpent (Hydra) the Devil ; we see
Him in the mighty Hercules, who has his foot on the
head of the Dragon (Draco), and his up-lifted club
about to inflict the long-threatened blow ; we see
Him crowned in Cepheus, with all His enemies sub-
dued, and His right foot planted upon the Polar
Star!

True, we do see a woman in this heavenly and
Divine revelation; for there are four women. Two
are connected with the Redeemer, and two with the
Redeemed. The Redeemer is seen in the one (Virgo)
as the " promised Seed"; in the other (Coma), He
is seen as the child born, the Son given. The Re-
deemed are represented in one as a captive chained
(Andromeda), with no power to wage conflict with an
enemy, but a prey to every foe ; in the other (Cos-

leo : (corvus). 175

siopeia), she is enthroned, with no necessity for conflict.
For with one hand she waves the palm of a victory
which another (Perseus) has wrought on her behalf,
while with her right hand she is preparing and making
herself ready for " the marriage of the Lamb."

Thus pure and undefiled is this primeval fountain
of Divine truth. Thus harmonious is it with the
written Word of God. And He who gave them
both to enlighten a dark world which lieth in the
power of this wicked one, has filled both with one
subject — " The sufferings of Christ and the glory that
should follow."

These are set forth by the Holy Spirit in a
double sevenfold expansion of the prophetic promise
of Gen. iii. 15, giving seven steps in His humilia-
tion and seven in His glorification (Phil. ii. 5-1 1*).

CHRIST JESUS,

1. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery

(a thing to be grasped at and held) to be equal
with God ;

2. But made Himself of no reputation (Gr. emptied

Himself),

\. And took upon Him the form of a servant,

4. And was made in the likeness of men :

5. And being found in fashion as a man. He humbled

Himself.

6. And became obedient unto death,

7. Even the death of the cross.

* The passage consists really of two members, each of which is arranged as an
introversion, where the subject of I corresponds to 7 ; 2 corresponds to 6 ; etc

I76 THE WITNESS OF THE STAR^.

WHEREFORE

l. God also hath highly exalted Him,

2^ And given Him a name which is above every name t

3. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

4. Of things in heaven,

5. And things on earth,

6. And things under the earth;

7. And that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ

is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

" Come, then, and, added to Thy many crowns,
Receive yet one, the crown of all the earth,
Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine
By ancient covenant, ere Nature's birth ;
And Thou hast made it Thine by purchase since,
And overpaid its value with Thy blood.
Thy saints proclaim Thee king; and in their heart*
Thy title is engraven with a pen
Dipp'd in the fountain of eternal love.
Thy saints proclaim Thee king; and Thy delay
Gives courage to their foes, who, could they see
The dawn of Thy last advent, long desired,
Would creep into the bowels of the hills,
And flee for safety to the falling rocks."

o o o o o •

" Come, then, and, added to Thy many crowns,
Receive yet one, as radiant as the rest,
Due to Thy last and most effectual work,
Thy Word fulfilled, the conquest of a world."

(Cowper \

( 177 )

"FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS,"

*VX 7E have seen the great truths which are taught
* from the position, and forms, and names of the
heavenly bodies. There are also truths to be learnt
from their motions.

When God created them and set them in the firma-
ment of heaven, He said, in Gen. i. 14 —

" Let them be for signs and for seasons."

Here the word " signs " is othoth (nhtf, plural of Tfltf,
o/A, from the root HJIK, to come). Hence, a sign of
something or some One to come. In Jer. x. 2 Jehovah
says, "And- be not dismayed at the signs (fiinx©5!) of
the heavens, for the heathen are dismayed at them."
The word " seasons " does not denote merely what
we call the four seasons of the year, but cycles of
time. It is *15?ift, appointed time (from the verb "TfiJ, to
point out, appoint). It occurs three more times in
Genesis, each time in connection with the promised
Seed —

Gen. xvii. 21, "At this set time in the next year." ;

Gen. xviii. 14, " At the time appointed I will return " ;
and

Gen. xxi. 2, "At the set time of which God had
spoken."

I78 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Gen. i. 14 is therefore, M They (the sun, moon,
and stars) shall be for signs (things to come) and for
cycles (appointed times)."

Here, then, we have a distinct declaration from
God, that the heavens contain not only a Revelation
concerning things to come in the " Signs," but also
concerning appointed times in the wondrous movements
of the sun, and moon, and stars.

The motions of the sun and moon are so arranged
that at the end of a given interval of time they return
into almost precisely the same position, with regard
to each other and to the earth, as they held at the
beginning of that interval. " Almost precisely," but
not quite precisely. There will be a slight outstand-
ing difference, which will gradually increase in suc-
cessive intervals, and finally destroy the possibility
of the combination recurring, or else lead to com-
binations of a different character.

Thus the daily difference between the movement
of the sun and of the stars leads the sun back very
nearly to conjunction with the same star as it was
twelve months earlier, and gives us the cycle of the
year. The slight difference in the sun's position re-
lative to the stars at the end of the year, finally
leads the sun back to the same star at the same
time of the year, viz., at the spring equinox, and
gives us the great precessional cycle of 25,800 years.

So, too, with eclipses. Since the circumstances
of any given eclipse are reproduced almost exactly
1 8 years and 11 days later, this period is called an
Eclipse Cycle, to which the ancient astronomers gave

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 179

the name of Saros;* and eclipses separated from each
other by an exact cycle, and, therefore, correspond-
ing closely in their conditions, are spoken of as being
one and the same eclipse. Each Saros contains, on
the average, about 70 ± eclipses. Of these, on the
average, 42 ± are solar and 28± are lunar. Since the
Saros is 11 days (or, more correctly, 10*96 days) longer
than 18 years, the successive recurrences of each
eclipse fall 11 days later in the year each time, and
in 33 Sari will have travelled on through the year
and come round very nearly to the original date.

But as the Saros does not reproduce the con-
ditions of an eclipse with absolute exactness, and as
the difference increases with every successive return,
a time comes when the return of the Saros fails to
bring about an eclipse at all. If the eclipse be a
solar one before this takes place, a new eclipse begins
to form a month later in the year than the old one,
and becomes the first eclipse of a new series.

This is the history of one such eclipse: On May 15
(Julian), 850 a.d., there was a (new) eclipse of the sun,
and it occurred as a partial eclipse. On August 20
(Julian), 1012 a.d., this new eclipse became total.
From that time it has been an annular eclipse, the
latitude of the central shadow gradually shifting south-
ward from the north, until on December 17 (Julian),
1 2 10, it had reached N. Lat. 24°. It turned north-
ward again after 1210, until March 14 (Julian), 1355,
when it fell in N. Lat. 430. Then it turned south,

* General Vallancey spells Saros pi"W6P, which amounts to 666 by Gematria !
Vii., V = 300 -f v = 70 + -1 = 200 +1=6 + p = 90 = 666.

M 2

l80 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

and has moved steadily in that direction, until on
March 18 (Greg.), 1950, its last appearance as an
annular eclipse will take place. On May 22 (Greg.),
2058, it will fall so far from the node that a new
eclipse will follow it on June 21. It will make three
more appearances as an ever - diminishing partial
eclipse, and be last seen on June 24 (Greg.), 21 12.
Its total life-history, therefore, will have been 1,262
years and 36 days, and will have occupied 70 Sari.

In the above life-history of an eclipse * there is not
the slightest difficulty as to its identification. The
Saros shows no break, and no interruption ; nor does
the character of the eclipse suffer any abrupt change.
The district over which it is visible moves in a slow
and orderly fashion from occurrence to occurrence
over the earth's surface.

Now the important point is this, that if we take
the prophetic reckoning of 360 days to the year, we
have the following significant Biblical numbers : —

In the first place, we already have the jo± Sari
divided into two portions of 33 + 37-

A perfect cycle is accomplished in 33 Sari, or
595 years, when the eclipse, by a series of unbroken

* These facts are kindly supplied by Mr. E. W. Maunder, of the Royal Obser-
vatory, Greenwich, who gives another example, as follows : —

In A. D. 586 there were two solar eclipses : on June 22 (Julian) the old and dying
eclipse, and on July 22 (Julian) another (the new one). A Saros (viz. 18 years and
II days) earlier there was only one, viz. on June 11 (Julian), a. D. 568, there being
no eclipse on July 1 1 of that year.

The last appearance of this new eclipse, which first appeared on July 22, 586,
was on August 28 (Greg.), 1848, so that it had a life history of 70 Sari, amounting
to 1,262 years 36 days (after the Julian dates have been corrected to correspond to the
Gregorian). Thus the eclipse that died, so to speak, on August 28 (Greg.), 1848,
first appeared on July 22 (Julian) in A. D. 586. See an important article on Eclipses
by Mr. E. W. Maunder in Knowledge, for October 1893, where other life-histories of
eclipses are given, and the whole subject of eclipses clearly explained.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. l8l

Sari, has accomplished a passage through the year
of 360 days ; or, if we reckon only the whole numbers,
i.e. y the 18 completed years, we have for the 33 Sari
the period of 594 years, while the remaining portion
of 37 Sari makes 666 years (37x18) ; and the whole
70± Sari makes 1,260 years (594 + 666).*

We have then the following figures : —

18 x 33 = 594 years.
18 x 37 =3 666 years.

iS x 70 as 1260 years.

Independently of this, we also know that 1,260
years is a soli-lunar cycle, so exact that its epact, or
difference, is only 6 hours !

There must, therefore, be something significant
in these numbers, e.g., 70 ; in the number 1,260,
with its divisions, not into two equal parts, but into
594 and 666 ; as also in its double, 2,520.

There must be something to be learned in the
occurrence and repetition of these heavenly cycles,
which for nearly 6,000 years have been constantly
repeated in the heavens, especially when we find
these same numbers very prominently presented in
the Word of God in connection with the fulfilment
of prophecy.

We have the great " seven times " (2,520) con-
nected with the duration of Israel's punishment, and
of the Gentiles, power. We have in Daniel and the

* The relations between 595 years and 1,262 years 36 days, are the same as the
relations between 594 years and 1,260 years. The difference of the 2 years 36 days
is due to the excess of 10*96 days over the 18 completed years in each Saras.

l82 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Apocalypse the half of this great period presented as
"days" (1,260), as " months " (42), and as "times,"
or years (3J).

Futurists believe that these "days" and "months,"
etc., interpret for us the purposes and counsels of God
as connected with " the time of the end," and as
meaning literal " days " and " months," etc.

Historicists take these terms, and themselves inter-
pret the numbers, in the sense of a " day " being put
for a year, and they believe that these "1,260 days"
will be fulfilled as 1,260 years.

One party boldly and ungraciously charges the
other with teaching " The Fallacies of Futurism " ;
while the other might well retort with a reference to
the Heresies of Historicism.

But is there any necessity for the existence of two
hostile camps ? Is it not possible that there may be
what we may call a long fulfilment in years ? And is
it not more than probable that in the time of the end,
the crisis, there will be also a short and literal ful-
filment in days ?

We firmly believe that there will be this literal
and short fulfilment. We believe that when God says
"days," He means days; and that when He says
"42 months," He means months, and not 1,260 years.
In all the passages referred to by historicists in sup-
port of what is called " the year-day theory," the
Holy Spirit uses these words "days" and "years"
in the sense of days and years. In the two particular
instances of Israel's wanderings (Num. xiv. 34), and
Ezekiel's prophesying (Ezek. iv. 6), He chooses to

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 1&3

take the number of days as denoting the same number
of years ; but He does not tell us that we are to do
the same in other cases ! He only asserts His sove-
reignty by thus acting, while we only show our pre-
sumption in taking His sovereign act as a general
principle. \ <

But while fully believing in the short fulfilment, we
are quite prepared to admit that there may be a long
fulfilment as well; and that, owing to the wondrous
harmony, and marvellous correspondence, and infinite
wisdom of all the works and ways of God, there may
be a fulfilment, or rather a "filment," if we may coin
the word, in years, which will be only a foreshadowing
of the literal /w/-filment afterwards to take place in days.

If historicists will allow us this liberty as to inter-
pretation, and permit us to believe that God means
what He says, we will give them some remarkable
evidence in support of their views, by way of appli-
cation. In other words, if they will allow us to in-
terpret " days " as meaning days, we will gladly allow '
them, and be at one with them, in applying them to
years. So that while we believe the interpretation to
mean " days," and to teach a short fulfilment at the
time of the end, we will thankfully admit an applica-
tion which shall take these days as foreshowing a long
fulfilment in years.

In applying, then, these significant numbers (42,
70, 594, 666, 1,260, and 2,520) to years, from what
point or date shall we begin to reckon the " times
of the Gentiles " (Luke xxi. 24) ? That there are such
definite " times" the words of the Lord Jesus show,

184 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

when He says, " Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
(Luke xxi. 24). That there are " seven times" of
Gentile dominion is more than intimated by the sym-
bolic episode in the life of Nebuchadnezzar as recorded
in Dan. iv. ; and that there are " seven times " of
Israel's punishment is clearly stated in Lev. xxvi. 18.
"Seven times," according to the Historicist school of
interpreters, are equal to 2,520 years.

Instead of asking where they begin, let us first
note the fact that it is duration which is emphasised
in the Scriptures rather than chronology ; and look at
the duration of these years independently of, and
before we attempt to fix, their beginning and ending.

In Daniel ii. and vii. it is shown first to Nebu-
chadnezzar in a " dream," and afterwards to God's
servant the prophet in a " vision," that Israel was
to be put on one side and become " Lo-Ammi " {not
My people), while government was to be put into the
hands of the Gentiles. Jerusalem was the central point
of both these great and solemn facts. That is to say,
during 2,520 years, while Jerusalem should remain in
the power of the Gentiles, Israel could be " no more
a nation " in possession of their land and city.

We know, as a matter of fact, that to-day Jeru-
salem is in the hands of the Turks, and that it is
6till " trodden down of the Gentiles."

If we ask how long it shall continue to be " trodden
down " ? how long it will be before Israel shall again
possess their city and their land ? — the answer brings
us a,t once to the heart of our subject.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 185

In seeking to determine both duration and chrono-
logy, it is necessary to plant our feet on sure ground.
To do this, let us take a point on which all are agreed-

• There is one date which is universally accepted ;
and concerning which the evidence is unquestioned.

Abu Obeida, the Mahommedan General, laid siege
to Jerusalem towards the close of 636 a.d. The city
was then occupied by the Romans, who held out
for four months. When they capitulated, the Patri-
arch Sophronius obtained p. clause in the treaty giving
security to the inhabitants, and requiring the ratifica-
tion of Omar himself. Omar, who had therefore to
be sent for, arrived some six months afterwards, and
the delay caused the actual delivering up of the city
to take place early in the autumn of a.d. 637.*

The year a.d. 636-7 is therefore the accepted date
of the passing over of Jerusalem from the Romans
to the Turks.

Omar seems to have stayed in the city only about
ten days, during which he must have given his in-
structions for the erection of the Mosque on the site
of the Temple. This Mosque, therefore, stands as
the sign and the symbol of the treading down of
Jerusalem, and while it remains, those times of tread-
ing down cannot be considered as fulfilled.

How steady was Israel's decadence from Nebu-
chadnezzar to Omar ! Nothing could exceed that
darkest moment in Israel's history, when Israel was

* This is the date which concerns only the City of Jerusalem. The Romans
were not completely driven out from the latid until Csesarea had fallen in 6$$, when
the conquest was finally completed. See Gibbon's Decline and Fall.

l86 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

well nigh obliterated in the mighty struggles of her
dnemies who fought over her inheritance. Thus
Omar becomes the great central point of the 2,520
years, whether reckoned as Lunar, Zodiacal, or Solar,
dividing them equally into two portions of 1,260 years.*

Having thus fixed the central date, which already
points forward to the end, let us go back and find
the starting point, that we may the better understand
the end.

When Daniel was explaining to Nebuchadnezzar
his mysterious dream, he said, " Thou art this head

* This date 636-7 is a great and important central date, whether we reckon

backwards or forwards ; whether we reckon them as Lunar, Zodiacal (360 days),

or Solar (365 days) years.

If we take Lunar years (=1222^ Solar) —

reckoning backward, we get to 587 B.C., the very date of the destruction

of the Temple by Nebuchaduezzar.

reckoning forward, we get to 1 860 a. d. , the very date of the European

intervention in the Lebanon, which has brought the Eastern Question

into its present prominent position.

If we take Zodiacal years (=1242 Solar) —

reckoning backward we get to 608 B.C., the date of the battle of Car-

chemish (2 Chron. xxxv. 20), when Babylon completed the conquest

of Assyria, and became supreme ; utterly shattering all the hope which

Israel had in Egypt.

reckoning forward brings us to 1S79 A. D., when, by the Treaty of Berlin,

Ottoman power received a blow from which it has never recovered,

and which has prepared the way for its extinction.

If we take Solar years, then —

reckoning backward, we get to B.C. 624 (A.M. 3376), the beginning of the

Babylonian kingdom, the "head of gold."

reckoning forward we get to 1896-7 A.D., which is yet fulure.

These reckonings in their beginnings and endings form an introversion, or

Eflauodost thus : —

587 )

608 >b. c. dates increasing.

624)
i860 \
1879 >A. D. dates increasing.

1896-7 J

The Solar reckonings are the more important dates ; the Lunar are next in
significance ; while Zodiacal reckonings furnish us with dates which, to say the
least, fit neatly into their places.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 187

of gold " ! (Dan. ii. 38). This moment is popularly,
but erroneously, supposed to mark the commence-
ment of the Babylonian kingdom — the first of these
four great Gentile powers.

But Daniel spoke of what already existed, and
was explaining the then condition of things. He said,
11 God hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength,
and glory" (Dan. ii. 37). The kingdom of Babylon
had already been in existence for more than thirty
years, for its king had destroyed Jerusalem and burnt
the Temple with fire, and brought away many captives,
amongst whom was Daniel and his companions. The
opening words of the book make this very clear.

The monumental history of Babylon, as now dug
up, shows that before this it had been sometimes
tributary to, and sometimes almost independent of,
Assyria. In a.m. 3352, after a severe struggle with
Assurbanipal, the Assyrian king, Babylon was once
more subdued, and its king setting fire to his palace
perished in the flames. After that there was peace
for twenty-two years, during which time Kandalanu
governed Babylon in succession to Sumas-sum-ukinr
a son of Assurbanipal.

In a.m. 3375 {i.e. B.C. 627),* another revolt broke
out, and the Assyrian king sent a general of great
ability to quell it. His name was Nabu-pal-user
(which means Nebo protects his son). He put down

* These dates are those furnished by the Monuments, as given by Dr. Budge,
of the British Museum, in his Babylonian Life and History, R.T.S., 1885. They
also agree with the dates dug up by Sir Henry Rawlinson in 1862, consisting of
fragments of seven copies of the famous " Eponym Canon of Assyria," by which
the Assyrian chronology has been definitely settled. Before this, historians had to
be content with inferences and conjectures.

l88 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

the rebellion with so much skill that Assurbanipal
made him governor of Babylon. He shortly after-
wards, in a.m. 3376, himself rebelled, and made
himself King of Babylon. Associating with him his
son Nebuchadnezzar, they commenced a campaign
against Assurbanipal, which ended in the fall of
Nineveh and the complete subjugation of Assyria.
The kingdom of Babylon, thus commencing in
B.C. 625,* became the first great Gentile kingdom as
foretold in Daniel.

There is practically no question, now, as to this
date.

The actual duration of the three kingdoms that
followed — Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, may
not perhaps be so accurately determined. Their
total duration is known, because it is fixed by a
known date at the other end, but it might introduce
controversial matter if we attempted to assign to them
their exact relative duration. Probably they were,
roughly : — Babylon about 90 years ; Medo-Persia
about 200 years ; Greece about 304 years.

We believe these to be fairly proportionate,! but
whether they are or not, their total amount must
have been 594 years, because the undisputed date
of the battle of Actium, by which Augustus became
the head of the Roman Empire, was September b.c. 31.

* In adjusting the A.M. and B.C. dates, the latter are always apparently one year
in advance of the former, because B.C. 4000 was A.M. 1, and B.C. 3999 was a.m. 2.
Hence A.M. 3376 is not B.C. 624, but it is B.C. 625.

f Cyrus took Babylon, according to the Monuments, in the 17th year of Nabonidus,
B.C. 539. I Maccabees i. begins the first of Alexander from the death of Darius
Codomannus in a. m. 3672. This would slightly vary the above distribution of tha
years of separate duration.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 189

From this date Jerusalem passed permanently under
the power of Rome until the Mahommedan conquest
in a.d. 636-7.

We have, therefore, three fixed dates, and these
decide for us the duration of the intervening periods 'r
dividing them into the two great Eclipse Cycles of
594 years and 666 years !

Jerusalem under the Gentiles,

Fixed Duration
Dates, of Years*
Babylon (the 1st Kingdom) commenced b.c. 625

Battle of Actium, ending" the possession

of the 3rd Kingdom - - - b.c 31

Duration of the three Kingdoms, «\
Babylon, Medo - Persia, and I
Greece, together (1st Eclipse f ^94

Cycle) - - -J

Rome (the 4th Kingdom) became the "1

possessor of Jerusalem
Mahommedan conquest of Jerusalem, "I ^^

ending the possession of Rome - J

Duration of Rome's possession of
Jerusalem (2nd Eclipse Cycle) - 666 *

First half of " the times of the

gentiles" - - - - 1260

Date of Mahommedan conquest of Je-
rusalem - A.D. 636-7

Second half of "the times of the*]

gentiles" and Duration of Mahom- > 1 260 1260
medan possession of Jerusalem -J ■

End and "fulness" of "the times of

)f JA.D.1896-;

7 2520
the Gentiles " - - - J

* In passing from B.C. dates to A.D. dates, one year must always be deducted,,
e.g., from B.C. 2 to A.D. 2 is only three years, not four ! Thus —

From Jan. 1 b.c 2 to Jan. I B. c 1 is one year \ making
„ ,, B.C. 1 to ,, A.D. I is one year > only

s ,, ,, A. D. 1 to ,, A.D. 2 is 0#* year J three years.

Henee, B.C 31 to a.d. 636 is 666 years, not 667.

igO THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

From this it appears that 1896-7 a.d. would mark
an important year in connection with the " times of
the Gentiles."

The above reckoning has the following advantages
over all previous historicist interpretations:—

1. Controverted dates are excluded.

2. The whole period of 2520 years is dealt with,
instead of only the latter half (1260), as is usually
the case.

3. It confines these " times " to the one place where
the Lord Himself put them, viz., " JERUSALEM.1'
He said, " Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled/'

These " times," therefore, are confined to Jerusalem.
This " treading down " is confined to Jerusalem. It
is not the city of Rome that is to be trodden down
for 1260 years. Why, then, should these "times"
be separated from what is characteristic of their
duration, and applied to Rome, papal or imperial?
Why should historicists search for some act of em-
perors or popes in the early part of the seventh
century in order to add it to 1260, so as to find
some terminal date in or near our own times ! *

We claim that the Lord Himself has joined these
" times of the Gentiles " with the city of "Jerusalem,"
and we say, " What, therefore, God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder" (Matt. xix. 6).

* While the premisses of the Historicist school are thus strengthened, their <v«-
<lusions are shown to be erroneous.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. IQI

When jesus spoke of this treading down, it looks <
as though it were then still future ; for He said,
" Jerusalem shall be trodden down," etc. The occu-
pation of Jerusalem by Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,
and Rome, was for purposes of government rather than
for a wanton treading down. Government on the earth
was committed unto them. But when Jerusalem passed
from the government of the Roman Empire into the
hands of the Turks, it could then be said, in a very
special sense, to be *' trodden down." For of any
government worthy of the name there has been none ;
and of desolation and desecration the city has been
full. Under the feeble rule of the Turks, all the
Gentiles seem to have comjbined in laying waste the
holy city.

Though Jews are returning thither in ever-increas-
ing numbers, they are only strangers there. They
have as yet no independent position, nor can they
make any treaties. But when these " times " shall
■end, it means that they will have a position of
sufficient independence to be able to make a treaty
or league with the coming Prince (Dan. ix. 27) ; and
then the course of events will bring on another
treading down of 1260 literal " days," which will
thus have had a fore-shadowing fulfilment in years !
This is written in Rev. xi. 2. And to save us from
any misunderstanding, the time is given, not in daysr
but in "months."

The angel, after directing John to measure the
Temple of God and the altar, adds, " but the court
which is without the Temple leave out, and measure

1Q2 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two
months."

This refers to a future treading down, which will
be limited to the brief period of " forty two " literal
" months," during the time of the coming Prince ; and
" in the midst " of the last week, when he shall
break His covenant with the Jews,* set up the
"abomination of desolation " (Dan ix. 27; which
is still future in Matt. xxiv. 15), and " tread down the
holy city."

We now desire to specially emphasize the fact
that all these dates, and their termination in a rapidly
approaching fulfilment, refer only to Jerusalem, and
the Gentiles, and the Jews ! They refer only to
the end of the Gentile possession of Jerusalem, and
to the settlement of the Jews in their own city and
land.

These " times and seasons " have nothing what-
ever to do with " the Church of God " (1 Thess. v. 1).
The mystical Body of Christ, whenever its members
are complete, " will be taken up to meet the Lord — •
the Head of the Body— in the air, so to be ever
with the Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 15-17). This glorious
event has nothing to do with any earthly sign or
circumstance, so far as the members of this mystical
Body are concerned.

* And cause sacrifice and oblation to cease (Dan. ix. 27). We know that is re-
ferred, by historicists, to the Messiah. But they are; not entitled to $0 interpret this
passage unless they take with it viii. 11, xi. 31, and xii. 11, where the same event
is distinctly referred to, and is spoken, not of Christ; but of Antichrist.

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. I93

Therefore we are not dealing here with the coming
of the Lord ; either for His saints, or with them.
We are not referring to what is commonly and
erroneously called " the end of the world." We are
merely pointing out that the end of Gentile dominion
over Jerusalem is drawing near! And we cannot close
our eyes to the marvellous manner in which the veil
is being removed from Jewish hearts : to the change
which has come over the Jewish nation in its
attitude towards Christ and Christianity, chiefly,
under God, through the unparalleled circulation
of more than a quarter of a million copies of a
new translation of the New Testament into He-
brew, by the late Isaac Salkinson, published by
the Trinitarian Bible Society, and freely distributed
by the Mildmay Mission to the Jews : to the Pales-
tine literature which has sprung up amongst the
Jews in recent years : to the persecutions in various
countries which are stirring their nest, and setting
the nation in motion : to the organized emigration
to Argentina, which its promoters avowedly speak of
as " a nursery ground for Palestine " (Daily Graphic,
March ioth, 1892) : to the railways completed and
in course of construction in the Holy Land : to the
numerous Societies and their branches which have
permeated the whole nation, which, while having
various names, have only one object — " the colonisa-
tion of Palestine."

When we put these events side by side with
the teaching of the heavens as to the " cycles "
or appointed times, we are merely showing how

194 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

wonderfully they agree with what 'is written in the
Book, and witnessed to by great and uncontested
historic dates.

Nor are we absolutely naming a definite year or
day even for these Palestine events. After all, they
can be only approximate, for man has so misused
every gift that God has ever given him, that even
with such wondrous heavenly time-keepers he cannot
really tell you what year it is! And, besides this
loss of reckoning, there is confusion as to the com-
mencement of the a.d. era, which makes absolute
accuracy between the a.m., b.c, and a.d. dates
impossible.

Added to this, there is another point to be borne
in mind, viz., that when the " times of the Gentiles "
shall end, Jewish independence need not be either
immediate or complete!

For when Nebuchadnezzar began his kingdom of
Babylon in a.m. 3376 (b.c. 625), the Jews, though in
their land and city, were not independent. Nebu-
chadnezzar went to and fro to Jerusalem, and put
down and set up whom he would ; and it was not till
some thirty years afterwards that he destroyed the
City and Temple and made the people captives.

So, likewise, in the time of the end, there may
be an epanodos. There may be a similar period of
possession without independence, a quasi-independence
guaranteed by the Great Powers ; and, for ought
we know, it may be that, in order to gain complete

FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. 195

independence, they may ultimately make that fata)
league with the coming Prince.

So that while we name the dates 1896-7 as being
significant, we are not " fixing dates " in the ordinary
sense of the term, but merely pointing out some of
"the signs of the times," concerning which we ought
not to be ignorant.

The true interpretation will in any case still
remain, and will surely be literally fulfilled in its own
time. The Word of God will be vindicated ; its pro-
phetic truth will be verified ; God Himself will be
glorified ; and His people saved with an everlasting
salvation.

Meanwhile the members of His Body will " wait
for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the
dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath
to come" (1 Thess. i. 10). They will live "looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people
(r.v., a people for His own possession) zealous of
good works" (Titus ii. 13, 14). They will "look for
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," from heaven,
believing that there is no hope either for " the Jew,
the Gentile, or the Church of God," or for a groaning
creation, until " the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord ; and He shall send
Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive until
the times of restitution of all things, which God

N 2

rg6 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

hath spoken by the mouth of ALL HIS HOLY
PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN "
(Acts iii. 19-21).

"The world is sick, and yet not unto death;
There is for it a day of health in store ;
From lips of love there comes the healing- breath, —
The breath of Him who all its sickness bore,
And bids it rise to strength and beauty evermore.

Evil still reigns ; and deep within we feel
The fever, and the palsy, and the pain

Of life's perpetual heartaches, that reveal

The rooted poison, which, from heart and brain,
We labour to extract, but labour all in vain.

Our skill avails not ; ages come and go,
Yet bring with them no respite and no cure;

The hidden wound, the sigh of pent-up woe,
The sting we smother, but must still endure,
The worthless remedies which no relief procure, —

All these cry out for something more divine,

Which the worst woes of earth may not withstand ;

Medicine that cannot fail — the oil and wine,

The balm and myrrh, growth of no earthly land,
And the all-skilful touch of the great Healer's hand.

Man needs a prophet : Heavenly Prophet, speak,
And teach him what he is too proud to hear.

Man needs a priest: True Priest, Thy silence break,
And speak the words of pardon in his ear.
Man needs a king : O King, at length in peace appear."

APPENDIX.

( 199 )

APPENDIX.

Note on the Sign LIBRA.

On page 47 we called attention to the point that in
all probability the Sign Libra was a very ancient
corruption.

The ancient Akkadian name for the seventh month,
which was the month when the sun was in the Sign
now called Libra, was Tul-ku, which means the sacred
mound, or altar. The Akkadian name for this Sign
was Bir, which means the Light, hence, the Lamp
with its light, or the Altar with its fire.

Fig. I. — The Circular Altar, in the Sign now called Libra

200

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

Its most ancient form was a circular altar.* In
Figure I we have reproduced this,t and it will . be at
once seen that we have the original of the disc now
preserved in the two circular scales which form the
Sign of Libra.

The next stage of the corruption is shown in the
Akkadian name of Scorpio (the Scorpion) — the Sign
immediately to the left of the Altar. It was called
Gir-tab, which means the Seizer and Stinger, and the
next Figure (2), taken from an Euphratean boundary
stone, I shows the two Signs combined, for the Scorpion
is stretching out its claws in order to seize the Lamp
or Altar.

FlG. 2. — The Scorpion and the Lamp. (From an Euphratean
Boundary Stone.)

* See Aratos, line 440.

f As proved by Mr. Robt. Brown, junr., in his Item arks on the Euphratean
Astronomical Names of the Signs of the Zodiac (p. 16).

% By the kind permission of Mr. Robt. Brown, junr., The Celestial Equator of
Aratos, p. 466.

APPENDIX. 201

Thus the meaning of its name is exemplified. It
is called the Seizer and Stinger. And just as in the
constellation above it, the Serpent is struggling with
the man, while at the same time it is stretching out
its neck to seize the crown,* so here the Scorpion,
while trying to sting the same man in the heel, is
stretching out its claws to seize the altar.

A seal on a contract, nearly 700 B.C., shows
this Circular Altar actually in the grasp of the
Scorpion.

FlG. 3. — Scorpion and Lamp. (From an Euphratean Seal, \

Figure 3 is a picture of this Euphratean Seal,
preserved on a contract made on the 8th day of
the month Tisri, i.e., this same seventh month ! f

This then is the next stage. But Mr. Robert
Brown, junr., observes, " The Circle or other repre-
sentation of an Altar not unnaturally disappeared as

* See this shown on the cover of this book.

f Menant, Empreintes de Cachets Assyro-Chaldeens, 9. " Sur un contrat date
du 8 Tisri, de l'annee de Bin-takkil-ani, 690 ou 645 avant J.C."

202

THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

the use of the Sign advanced westward ; whether by
sea, or across Asia Minor, or both, and the Chelai
alone remained when the shores of the ^Egean were
reached." *

This is quite true, for the Greek name for the Sign
was Chelai, which means simply the Claws, And thus
the Scorpion monopolised two Signs ; its body one,
and its claws the other. This led to the mistake of
Servius, the intelligent commentator on Virgil, f that
" the Chaldean Zodiac consisted of but eleven con-
stellations. " We now know that there were twelve
Signs, and the mistake is thus explained.

Fig. 4. — The Constellation of "the Claws." Formerly the Circular Altar>

now Libra.

* Researches on the Euphratean Astronomical Names of the Signs of the Zodiac,

p. 17.

f In Georgica, i. 33.

APPENDIX. 203

Mr. Brown quotes Achilles Tatius, about 475 a.d.,
in a Fragment on the Phainomena, who says, rag xr^ag
rag Ka7^ov[x€vag U7r 'AiyuTTTitDv Zuyov.*

Aratus says that " some few stars of the Claws
are in the (Celestial) Equator." And Ptolemy de-
scribes the stars, now reckoned in Libra, as being
in what he calls " The Constellation of the Claws."
We have reproduced them so that his description
of them may be readily traced. He speaks of —

"The bright one of those at the end of the southern

Claw.'* (It is named Zuben el Genubi and now

marked a).
"The one more northerly than it, and dimmer" (now

- marked /a).
" The bright one of those at the end of the northern Claw"

(named Zuben el Cnemali, and now marked fi).
"The one in front of it and dim" (8).
"The one in the middle of the southern Claw" (1 i).
"The one in the middle of the northern Claw" (now

marked y).
"The one behind it in the same Claw" (q).
" The foremost of the three more northerly than the

northern Claws" (1 f).
"The southern one of the two hindmost" (•).
" The hindmost of the three between the Claws " (one of

the stars now marked * or X).
"The northern of the two remaining- and preceding ones''

«)•

"The southern one of them" (n).

This is how the stars formerly in the Sign of the
(Circular) Altar, came to be reckoned in the Claws

• Ap Pet avi us, Uranologion, 168, " The claws, called by the Egypt iam
Zugon^ i.e., the yoke that joins any two things together.

204 THE WITNESS OF THE STARS.

of the Scorpion ; and this is how the circular scales
of Libra came to be substituted for the ancient
Circular Altar.

This corruption of the primitive teaching of the
Altar, shows how the enemy attempted to seize on
the Atonement, bring in " the way of Cain," and
substitute human merit for the atoning sacrifice of
Christ ; thus perverting the truth at its fountain head.
Just as in Gen. iii. we have the woman's promised
Seed in conflict with the Enemy, so in Gen. iv. we
see the Scorpion's claws — " the way of Cain " in
conflict with " the way of God."

There can be but little doubt, therefore, that the
first Sign of the Zodiac was Virgo, the second was
the Altar, and the third was the Scorpion. The
lesson which they teach is clear : The Seed of the
woman (Virgo), who was to come as a child, should
be a sacrifice (the Altar) for the sins of His people ;
endure a great conflict with the enemy (Scorpio), in
which He should be wounded in the heel ; but should
in the end crush and tread the enemy under foot.

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